Last Chance
by Turtlebaby
Summary: GSR Case file Sara leaving? Sara & Grissom POV Complete! I didn't mean to, but it got really fluffy at the end. I couldn't stop the GSR fluff. Out of my control... Please R
1. Chapter 1

Title: Last Chance - Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI or any of the characters connected to it, any other characters in this story are made up in my imagination. So their mine, and no you can't have them. No profit is being made so I wrote this for my own amusement only.

Authors Note: Slightly OOC. But what fun is GSR lately if we stay in character right? I know I promised a murder investigation...and I promise its coming. Random Spoilers through season 6. Any mistakes are mine and mine alone. Please read and review! Flame me if you want. All feedback is good feedback to me!

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Sara looked into the mirror and a hoarse chuckle escaped. She couldn't understand how easy it was to pretend to be happy - when inside she felt like she was falling apart. She undid the clip holding her soft brown hair up and watched it fall to her shoulders. She always thought she'd been through enough as a child - that growing up would be her escape. But it seemed the older she got, the closer the shadows of her past caught up with her. Standing there looking in the mirror she could see her parents looking back. Her hair, the same length as her mothers was _that_ night...and it was the same dark shade as her fathers had been. Her eyes were the same shape and color as her fathers and when she smiled the wrinkles around her eyes reminded her of her mom. The older she got the more she hated who she was - and the more she hated it the more like it she became. How much more would she become like the two monsters she'd ran the furthest to get away from... 

Sara shook her head _"No, you're a scientist, you know there are no such thing as monsters...just people pretending to be them."_ she thought as she reached into the shower and turned the water on as hot as she could stand it.

She let the steam fill her small bathroom as she peeled off her clothing. She gingerly stepped under the scorching spray and only then, with the hot water pouring over her did she let down her defenses and cry. She'd run to fast and to far from her past, and now yet again she felt it catching up to her. It was affecting her work, abuse cases of any kind sent her into a frenzy. And her personal life, she didn't trust men. A chuckle escaped her again despite the tears running down her face. She did trust one, but she had spent a good portion of her career following him around like a lost puppy. And she was done. She'd already made up her mind and the deal was already done. She was leaving Vegas for somewhere easier. Somewhere that she wouldn't have to avoid Grissom half the day and see the horrible things people did to each other on a regular basis. She was still amazed how many murders were committed not out of revenge...but in the name of LOVE. Sara never understood how love could cause the amount of death that it did. It just downright baffled her. Even after living it. Even after her mother killed her father..for her...to protect her...because she loved her...Sara didn't get it.

Two weeks from now she was boarding plane. It amused her that for once in her life she didn't have anything planned, other then just leaving Vegas. She didn't know where she was going, or what she was going to do when she got there. Working for 6 years and having no life other then her work life, she had managed to save up quite a bit of money. She was taking it, and starting over.

Today she had given her notice to Ecklie, she had went over Grissom's head and she knew he was going to be pissed when he found out. Probably by shift tomorrow. She couldn't have given it to him because he would have looked at her and asked "Why?"

And she couldn't bear to look him in the eye and tell him she was leaving because of HIM. Because for whatever reason he couldn't, wouldn't, or didn't love her back. Because everyday she came to work and he avoided meeting her eyes, hell, avoided her all together when he could, but left her back burning under his gaze as she walked away. It was like stepping on the same nail in the floor day after day, even though you knew it was there. No sane person would! They'd remove the damn nail or at very least step over it. Eventually. They sure as hell wouldn't continue stepping on it everyday for 6 years. So no, NO, she had to get it approved over his head. And tomorrow when he asked her why she was leaving she could just shrug her shoulders and tell him that it was personal, which wasn't a lie, and that it wasn't any of his business. He wasn't dense, not by a long shot, he would figure it out, but no frickin' plant was going to keep her in this hell one minute longer. Besides there are only so many fathers abusing daughters, mothers killing sons, brothers killing sisters, neighbors killing neighbors, friends hurting friends, or teenagers dumping their newborns in the trash because they were to scared of their parents to ask for help, that a person could take without losing faith in the human race. Sara knew that crime was a worldwide problem and she would never outrun it. But she also knew that in some places they went 10 years without a murder. In Vegas they were lucky to go 10 hours without a body being discovered.

"Everything happens in Vegas," Sara said out loud, "I hope that when I leave everything really does stay in Vegas."

The water was cooling off and the temperature of the water was starting to feel icky. Sara shuddered as it reminded her of spit or vomit maybe. She quickly shut off the water and stepped out of the shower grabbing a towel off the rack and wrapping it around herself. She shivered slightly as she opened the door and the rush of cold air assaulted the wet bare skin of her arms, legs, and face. She grabbed another towel off the sink and wandered to her bedroom where she sat on the edge of her bed and towel dried her hair. Tonight was her night off but she knew that Greg was still out sick with Mono. Which meant that she was on-call if they got swamped and needed her at the lab tonight.

She got up and dressed in purple cotton pajama bottoms and a white spaghetti strap. She crawled into bed even though she had only gotten up seven hours previously. It had been so long since she had gone to bed before the sun came up. Even though she knew it went against her bodies nature, it seemed to her that sunlight actually made her sleepy. She guessed that was what she got for living in the dark for six years. She'd actually begun to like the paleness of her skin. Besides sleeping while the sun was shining its brightest had its advantages. Her risk of developing skin cancer was slim compared to most women of her age.

Sara rolled over to stare out the window. It was always amazing to her how fast and far her mind traveled when she let it. But it always finished on the same subject. Grissom. She wondered how long he would be where her mind settled. How long after she was gone would he be what she saw behind closed lids as she drifted to sleep? When would he stop being the reason she bit her bottom lip when she was having sex - so his name wouldn't tumble off her lips in the midst of her passion? How many more tears was she going to cry for a man who never cried for her? Sara brushed a stray tear off her cheek as the rain started pattering on the roof above her.

To Be Continued...


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Last Chance - Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI or any of the characters connected to it, any other characters in this story are made up in my imagination. So their mine, and no you can't have them. No profit is being made so I wrote this for my own amusement only.

Authors Note: Slightly OOC. But what fun is GSR lately if we stay in character right? I know I promised a murder investigation...and I promise its coming. Random Spoilers through season 6. Any mistakes are mine and mine alone. Please read and review! Flame me if you want. All feedback is good feedback to me!

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It was his night off and Grissom was restless. He was sitting on his couch flipping through his notes on his latest open case. The actual file was spread out infront of him, cluttering his neat coffee table. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. A sure sign that the case at hand was getting to him. He knew he had the right guy in his sights, if he could just put the evidence together to pin him down. 

But if he wanted to be honest with himself, it wasn't the case that was bothering him tonight. It was Sara. He'd gone into his office three hours ago to get the file in front of him, only to find a memo waiting for him from Ecklie. Subject: Sara Sidle. She wasn't in trouble again. No, this time it was worse. This time she was leaving. Of her own will. She'd gone over his head to get her resignation approved and that upset him more then anything else. She could have came to him. If she wanted to leave...he would have let her leave. Probably.

He dropped his notes on top of the case file, leaned back into the soft leather his couch and put bare feet atop the entire mess. He slipped his glasses off and entwined his fingers over his chest. "Sara..." he sighed.

He wasn't exactly sure when he had started scheduling their days off at the same time. And he sure as hell didn't know why. They didn't spend them together and he avoided her when they were at work together...and hell. Why did he do that? He just shook his head. That one was easy. Because she is his Achilles heel. His one point of weakness.

She makes him feel vulnerable. Like she can see right through all of his defenses. And nobody in their right mind faces their weaknesses over and over if they don't have to. And contrary to what he knew Sara thought, it wasn't that he didn't find her attractive. Hell, you'd have to be blind, deaf, and just plain stupid not to. She was beautiful, smart, and behind her defenses she cared so much that just the thought made his heart ache and his stomach jumble. Because sometimes she cared so much it hurt her. And he hated seeing her in pain. Physical or emotional. And now his Sara was leaving him.

"Such a fool." he muttered, almost under his breath.

He knew he should talk to her, explain to her, but for some reason every time he tried, the man who could speak hours, to groups of hundreds of people, about BUGS, couldn't find the words. He knew what he felt. And he knew what he saw written across her face. But the only time the correct words ever seemed to come to him was when she wasn't there, her eyes trying desperately to catch his wandering eyes, so it always came out wrong...she always ended up hurt. So eventually he had just stopped trying. She tended to over talk around him, and around her he couldn't even put together a entire sentence sometimes.

He couldn't lose her...but after all the crap he'd put her through, how in the hell was he supposed to convince her to stay? He was pretty sure that no plant was going to keep her here this time. He'd have to get creative. To bad creativity wasn't something he excelled at.

He opened his eyes and glanced at his watch. He was amazed to find that an entire hour had passed since he's closed them. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes again. And again his thoughts went immediately to Sara. Like they always did. Like they had for as long as he could remember. Did she know that? Did she even care anymore? That thoughts of her were where his mind took refuge from the rest of his life? Where for a moment he could forget about the pain and death and hate that filled his life through the actions of others? That his last thoughts every day were of her? That those thoughts relaxed him enough to let him sleep? He needed to be with her - forever - but he was afraid that after years of living in the dark, so much of it had seeped into his heart, that it just wasn't salvageable anymore.

He didn't realize he was crying until he tasted his tears at the corners of his mouth. He let them fall silently and freely down his cheeks as the sky outside opened up and wept with him.

To Be Continued...


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Last Chance - Chapter 3

Disclaimer: You really think if I owned them I would spend my time writing fanfics? Nope. I'd be gaining the love and admiration of GSR fans all over the world. I'm just playing with them and I promise I will return them unharmed with no profit gained. Unless you can count happy shivers as profit. :)

Authors Notes: This is a really short chapter. My muse went on vacation on me again and I couldn't even bribe him back with caffeine. Once again all mistakes are mine and only mine. Well, mine and my spell and grammar checker. So please forgive me. This is where we start realizing that I should probably seriously brush up on my forensics before writing . . . sorry. Please R&R. Even if you feel like flaming me. All feedback is positive to me! Thanks for reading!

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Sara was startled back to consciousness by the persistent ringing of her cell phone. A quick glance at the clock confirmed she'd been asleep for just more than two hours. Stifling a yawn, she picked up the phone. "Yeah?" She tried hard not to sound like she'd been sound asleep. 

"Sara?" through her sleep fuzzy hearing, she recognized Grissom's voice.

"Can I help you, Grissom?" It was rude and to the point but her eyes were still sticky from the tears she had cried over him and tonight his voice only made the hurt worse, knowing she would never have the one man she ever really wanted.

"Sara? Are you listening? Double homicide, a big name actor and his wife. We think the perp. snatched their five-year-old daughter. We need all hands on deck tonight. Cath and Nicky are working an arson in Henderson, so it'll be you, me, and Warrick. I'll pick you up in 15."

"Got it." Was all Sara said before disconnecting the call and slamming her tired body into drive.

She was dressed and waiting outside as Grissom pulled into the lot. She climbed into the front seat and slammed the door a little bit harder the necessary.

"Listen, Sara, I'm sorry for interrupting your night off, but with Greg still out . . . "

"Don't worry about it, it's not like I have a life anyway . . . " She mumbled. She lifted her head off the back of the seat and looked at him. "Any word on the girl?" She was hoping the child was with grandparents or friends or something.

"No, Warrick is at the scene right now. It appears all three were eating supper when they were attacked."

"My God Grissom . . . supper? That would have been hours ago. How far ahead of us is he?"

"David put initial TOD around 6:30 - 7:00 p.m., six to seven hours ago."

"You mean some guy broke into their home, killed them, and left with a child who was probably hysterical . . . and it took seven hours before anyone noticed? The neighbors didn't hear or see anything?"

"Most of these homes are seasonal. And this early in the year most of them are empty."

"Then what on earth was this family doing here?"

"The guy was wrapping up his latest, and turns out, last movie. Filming ended yesterday and they were flying back to New York tomorrow."

"At least the producers got their movie finished. They'll make a bundle off this one." Sara said dryly.

"Yep, nothing draws in acrowd like death . . . " Grissom shot back with an equally dry voice.

Sara just shook her head and stared out the window as they pulled up to the great house now decorated with yellow crime scene tape. And Grissom had called it. Even this early in the morning there was a crowd gathered behind the barriers. It took five uniformed police officers to control them. Especially the Media.

"God, I hate the press." Sara said quietly. "They're like vultures. They make a living off the bad things in people's lives." She stopped and thought about it. "Then again, so do we."

Grissom looked in her direction but she just pretended not to notice.

"Make sure you get some crowd shots, Sara." Is all he said instead of responding.

"Yep." She opened her car door and got out quickly.

Showing her badge, she followed Grissom under the tape and into the house. The smell was the first thing she noticed. Iron - strong - somewhere in this house a lot of blood had been spilled.

"Griss! Sara! Back here, watch your steps. We have shoe prints!" Warrick's voice traveled from the direction of the kitchen.

Looking down Sara saw a trail of footprints. Watching her step, she led the way to the kitchen area, What she saw flipped her stomach. "Oh my god Grissom . . . What the hell happened here?"

To Be Continued...


	4. Chapter 4

Title: Last Chance - Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Four chapters later and they are still not mine. I am hoping someone will give me Grissom for my birthday next month but unfortunatly I don't forsee that happening. So no, still no profit being made and I am getting nothing out of this except for my own personal enjoyment. However, if you don't recognize a character then most likely he/she is mine, and I'd appreciate it if you'd ask before you took them out to play.

Authors Notes: This is a really short chapter again. Once again all mistakes are mine and only mine. Well, mine and my spell and grammar checker. So please forgive me. This is where we start realizing that I should probably seriously brush up on my forensics and crime scene investigating skills before writing . . . sorry. Please R&R. Even if you feel like flaming me. All feedback is positive to me! Thanks for reading!

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It was rare that Grissom felt real disgust at a crime scene anymore. He'd lived to long and saw to many horrors to be shocked. Or so he thought. He heard the horror is Sara's voice and mentally shook himself clear. "A crime, Sara, that's why we're here." 

"Yeah . . . " Sara mumbled.

Grissom looked around, taking in everything. The floor around the table was covered in partially congealed blood. In the center of the pool sat a beautifully decorated dinner table set for three. "Or," Grissom mused "It was beautiful until someone decided it needed a splash of color."

Dark blood covered the entire top of the table. The two bodies were seated on either side of the table, and both victims were covered from head to toe in blood. Both bodies were positioned the same way, their hands were clasped on the table over their plates as if in prayer - their foreheads pressed to their fists, hunching them over the table. A spot was set at the head of the table which, Grissom assumed, was for the child. He couldn't help but wonder where the girl had been while this animal did this to her parents.

"Sara? I need you to photograph the prints in the hall." Grissom looked at her. "Ok?"

"Yeah Griss, ok." Sara turned around and headed toward the doorway.

"Warrick? Can you do the perimeter? And please get some more crowd shots. But don't look to obvious doing it. We don't need a shot of the top of his head."

"Yeah Grissom, I'll get right on it." Warrick left the room leaving Grissom alone with the young coroner.

Grissom turned around to face David. "David?" He got as close to the bodies as he could.

"Yes, sir?"

Grissom snapped off multiple pictures of multiple angles. "Can we move her? Her hands are covering something."

"Yeah, sure . . . " David gently moved the body of Delanea Fina, the female victim. As he moved the hands, Grissom grimaced, underneath was a heart.

"David, are there any signs she's had her heart removed?"

"No sir, not that I see, but . . . " He trailed off while Grissom took more shots.

"But what, David?"

David made to touch it, glancing in Grissom's direction. At Grissom's short nod, he turned it over. "I'm pretty sure it's not human - I'll know for sure after some tests, but I'm 98 percent sure it's canine."

"Ninety Eight, huh?"

David blushed. He pointed to the body of Andrew Fina, the male victim. "Shall we see what's under door number two?"

Grissom nodded and followed him around to the other side of the table. After following the earlier actions the discovered another heart under Andrew's hands. And again David gave the assumption that it was canine.

David made a face at Grissom. "Mind if I take these two?"

"Yeah, David, go ahead. Sooner we figure out what happened, the sooner we'll have something to lead us to the little girl. Just try not to disturb anything." He stared taking swabs of the blood. "Oh, and David, call me when you have COD - I want to know where all this blood came from. And how they were both overtook without," he gestured toward the table, "disturbing anything." Even the wine in the glasses next to their plates hadn't been spilled. It was - perfect.

He turned from David just to catch Sara returning to the room after photographing the footprints in the hall. Like a radar, he always seemed to know when she entered a room. He walked over to her, "Looks like a man - size 11 boots - and unless they were wearing identical boots, down to the wear and one small mark on the heel - I'd say only one." She reported. "How does one man overtake two grown people, kill them without making a mess, and kidnap their child?"

He pursed his lips, "That's what I'd like to know."

To Be Continued...


	5. Chapter 5

Title: Last Chance - Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Wish I owned them. Because then I could make them dance... DANCE... mwahahaha! But I don't. So no infringement intended.

Authors notes: Updates are coming quick, even if they are short. Because I had it all written out before hand. Well most of it. So anyways. Once again all mistakes are mine and only mine. Well, mine and my spell and grammar checker. So please forgive me. This is where we start wondering what goes on in my head...sorry. Please R&R. Even if you feel like flaming me. All feedback is positive to me! Thanks for reading!

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Four hours and not enough evidence later, a weary Sara climbed into Grissom's Tahoe. He followed behind her shortly. "Griss - it's been almost 12 hours - and we've got squat . . . " she sighed wearily, "You think Maddie's even alive?" She referred to Madelaine Fina, the daughter. 

Grissom's voice was unusually soft, "If she's not, I can't imagine the hell she's going through." Then he glanced over at her, and for the split second his gaze collided with hers she knew - HE knew. Then he looked away again and her pulse kicked up a notch. It wasn't fair to have this conversation in a moving car where she couldn't make a clean getaway.

"Griss . . . " she started.

"Sara, we need to talk . . . " he interrupted her. "I think it's about time - but not now, ok? Let's find this girl first."

"Yeah Griss, ok . . . " She closed her eyes and laid her head against the soft leather of the car seat. She barely heard him as the sound of the engine lulled her into a state of only half awareness. "I'm sorry."

It was no more than a whisper and she wasn't even 100 percent sure she was meant to hear it. And against her best intentions and the gnawing at her heart, she kept her eyes closed and head back. There would be time for that later. There would always be time to forgive him - and she wasn't sure she could right now anyway.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Sara concentrated on the hum of the engine and the next thing she knew Grissom was touching her shoulder and the vehicle had stopped moving. She opened her eyes, embarrassed that she'd fallen asleep. Somehow in her frantic act too not look tired, Grissom caught her eyes with his and this time he held it. God, she couldn't remember the last time eye contact had been held for this long. But hell if she was gonna be the one to break it.

After what seemed like an hour, Grissom tore his eyes away and Sara remembered to breathe. She exhaled with such a rush; she was sure he must have heard it. But he didn't look her way again.

She opened her door and got out quickly. Shift was over in an hour, but she wasn't leaving. Technically she should and she could - she'd done what was needed of her. She just had to log in the evidence and go home, but she knew better. The case would just wind up following her home anyway. She wouldn't sleep a decent sleep until they found the missing child one way or another. This could quite possibly be her last case, and she really wanted a good outcome - but already she was expecting the worst.

Half a day had gone by since little Maddyhad beentaken. And since both parents were dead - it probably wasn't ransom - and if it wasn't ransom the suspect was after - god, Grissom was right - if that girl was still alive she was probably going through a living hell.

Sara walked into the lab in almost a haze. She logged into her evidence and went to work with what little they had.

An hour later, her phone rang - "Sara"

"Hey, I might have something for you"

Sara hung up the phone and practically dashed to DNA, where she almost collided with Warrick.

"Hey girl, take it easy, we're both after the same thing here."

Sara smiled in spite of herself. "Sorry Warrick, Jessie, the new DNA guy, says he's got something on the double murder."

"Yeah Sara, why else would I be hanging around the DNA lab?"

"Oh, right, it's your case too . . . "

Sometimes it was easy for her to forget that something wasn't just her problem. Even after six years here and her work before that in San Francisco - she still caught herself thinking it was her against the world.

Warrick just smiled at her and followed her through the door. "Jessie, what have we got?"

"It's more like what you haven't got. NONE of this blood is human, not one of fifty swabs"

"Fifty?" Warrick asked, "That's a little higher than usual . . . "

Jessie smiled, "With two bodies and that much blood, I guess Dr. Grissom wanted to be thorough."

"Obviously . . . " Warrick muttered sarcastically.

"It's a high profile case Warrick. There's going to be a lot of scrutiny from the media. He just didn't want to miss anything." She couldn't believe she was defending him . . . again. She hadn't done that in forever. Granted, usually he didn't need defending but lately when he did, she just let it slide. Everyone screwed up sometimes, even Grissom. She just knew he was right this time - - There had been a lot of blood, and had there been a chance even a drop had been the killers . . . she glanced at Warrick. He was looking at her with one eye brow raised.

She turned back to Jessie, "So - the next obvious question - not human, what is it?"

"Not my department - I sent the samples to trace."

"And you paged us both for that?"

"Um, no, Doc Robbins found four foreign hairs, male DNA, during the post. One on the female, three on the male. Identical to one another, follicular tags on one."

"Why didn't you tell us that first?" Sara almost exploded.

"We don't have any hits from CODIS and the lack of human blood at the bloodiest crime scene this year seemed at bit more relevant . . . "

Sara sighed. "Well, at least now if we find a suspect we have something to compare it to."

Warrick's pager went off then, interrupting Sara's near apology. He made a quick call and sighed as he closed the phone. "The blood's Canine . . . "

Sara shuddered. That much blood didn't come from one animal - maybe two - or three. She rubbed her forehead. "Just like the hearts. . . ."

To Be Continued...


	6. Chapter 6

Title: Last Chance - Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I really want them. Really I do. But I can't have them. I just borrow them from time to time. So I'm still not making any profit. Please don't sue me. Thank you.

Authors' note: This chapters a little short too because the way I am trying to write it only allows me a little at a time. So I apologize. Again. All mistakes are mine and mine alone. I don't know anything about forensics. Or being a cop. :) All I know is my GSR. So forgive me on the rest of this. Oh and, everything written in italics, _like this_, is a THOUGHT of the character.

* * *

Grissom was sitting in his office. The case he had been working on before the double was finally falling together. The final fiber had been identified and definitively connected to the ex-husband. Along with the DNA evidence and the fact that his alibi was so thin you could spit through it, he was going to jail. For a long time. 

He was just finishing his report when the phone at his desk rang. "Grissom . . . "

"Hey Grissom, its David. You should come down here. There's something you should see."

"Alright David, give me ten minutes."

"Ok, see you in ten."

Grissom hung up the phone and got up from his desk. He started down the hall and saw Sara from the corner of his eye. "Hey, Sara!" he called.

She turned to face him and he waved her over. _Something must be changing_. He thought. Even just a week ago he would have just paged her to meet him in the morgue. Instead here he was waiting patiently as she excused herself from her conversation.

As she walked closer to him, he wondered again what his problem was, ignoring her for so long. She was perfect. There had to be something wrong with his head.

"What's up Griss?" Sara stopped beside him and he started walking again.

"David has requested our presence in autopsy."

"Did he find something?" Sara asked expectantly.

Grissom slowed his step until he was beside her."He just said there was something I should see."

Sara smiled. "Probably a bug."

Grissom knew it was a lame joke, and a serious subject and he shouldn't have smiled. But when he looked at her, her smile was real. And that seemed to light him up inside. He couldn't stop his own smile. It just overtook him. "Funny, Miss Sidle, funny . . . "

The rest of the way there was walked in silence - but it was a good silence. There was no pressure behind it. He was however terribly aware how close she was. Her body heat seemed to be radiating off of her and gravitating toward him.

Standing and waiting for the elevator almost killed him. She started shuffling her feet, always the impatient type. And everytime she landed on her left foot her arm brushed against his. With every small contact he had to swallow to keep from sighing out loud.

When the elevator finally arrived, he stepped on and she followed. And she stood so close that now it was a constant touch, her shoulder against his. And _Oh no_ - now he could smell her. None of his CSI's wore any sort of cologne or perfume, not even scented lotions, when on the job. It interfered with their sense of smell. But something, her shampoo or something, was driving him crazy. He had a sudden desperate urge to sniff her . . . his brain just needed to know what that was before he just - _oh thank god_ - the doors opened.

He stepped off in a rush. Eager to get fresh oxygen to his brain and get the scent of Sara out. She didn't seem to notice the pounding of his heart which was beating hard enough that they should have been able to hear it all the way down the hall.

She made the slightest physical contact again as she moved to walk beside him. And again it felt like an electric tingle. Was she doing it on purpose? Did she know what she was doing to him? It was a good thing she wasn't talking right then. He wasn't sure he was capable of having an intelligent conversation. Knowing his recent luck, if he opened his mouth to say anything, the only thing that would come out would be drool.

As they walked into the morgue, David looked up. "Oh good, you're here."

Grissom walked over and stood opposite David, across Andrew's body.

"What have we got?" Sara asked and slowly walked around the table until she was standing '_thisclose'_ to Grissom again.

David looked at Sara. "I'm assuming none of the blood at the scene was human."

Grissom raised an eyebrow. "How did you know that?"

David pointed to the body. "There is no wound on either body. Not so much as a defensive wound or ligature mark. Dr. Robbins found only four hairs to even confirm there was another person in that house at all. They were dark brown, and both vics are blonde, natural or not . . . "

"Yes David, we know, we got a profile from DNA." Grissom interrupted

"Sorry . . . " he looked at Grissom. "And I've confirmed that neither heart was human. My initial suspicions were correct. Both belong to a dog, and judging from the size of the heart, a big dog - or, better, two"

Grissom nodded. "Yeah about what we expected . . . giving the blood. Got COD yet?"

"Once I got the blood washed away I noticed the discoloration of the skin. Notice the pink tinge?"

"Cyanide?" Grissom asked.

"You got it boss. They ingested it. I found it in both stomach contents. Along with some undigested supper - Filet Minion - no celebrity can cook that well . . . " he stopped

Grissom picked up where he left off " . . . wonder if they hire a chef? Sara . . . ?"

"I'm on it Grissom - if there is one, we'll find him."

Grissom dead panned "And find out if cyanide is a good seasoning or maybe it was just a chef special for the night."

Sara wrinkled her nose, which Grissom found adorable but just innocent enough to not quite cross the 'erotic' threshold.

Then she smiled and winked at him _did she just wink?_ which did cross that threshold.

"Or maybe it's the chef's special secret season . . . "

Grissom shook his head. He just had to wonder if Sara had been getting enough sleep.

She took off out the door already on her cell asking to talk to Captain Jim Brass.

"She's a little... off... today isn't she?" David remarked.

Grissom just shot him a look. "Anything else David?"

"Uh, no sir, but I'll call you if anything changes - uh, you know what I mean."

"Yeah David, I got it." Grissom was out the door half a minute later.

Twenty minutes later Sara knocked on his office door. Grissom didn't even need to look up, he knew she was coming by her footfalls in the hallway. They were uniquely hers.

"I'm going back to the house . . . wanna come?" she asked with a wave of her hand and a invitational wag of her eyebrows.

How on earth could he say no to that? She looked so eager. And this was a nice change from the sullen Sara he never even saw lately.

"Sure." He grabbed his kit and followed her to the car.

To Be Continued . . .


	7. Chapter 7

Title: Last Chance - Chapter 7

Disclaimer: One day I might own them. But for today I still don't. So I don't mean to upset anyone by using them. Just don't sue me. Thanks.

Authors Note: The longest chapter yet . . . and I didn't want to type it because all my fun time is being taken up playing CSI: 3DoM. So you should feel very honored that I got this done. :) Anyway. All mistakes (and I know there are a lot) are mine and only mine. Please R&R. I love feedback. In fact I thrive on it. :) Ok. Enough of my rambling. Enjoy!

* * *

As Grissom pulled the Tahoe into the drive of the victim's house, she was already opening her door when her cell phone rang. "Sidle . . . " 

"Hey Sara its Brass. Turns out the couple did have a cook, part time; a nanny, but she didn't come along in this trip; and a three times a week housekeeper. We're heading over to pick up the cook now. Mr. Anthony Ampress. You want in on the initial questioning?"

"Griss and I are actually at the crime scene right now. Call Warrick and ask him to sit in. We'll try to find something to lead your questions in the right direction. "

"Got it - "

Sara hung up the phone and turned around to catch Grissom staring at her intently. She smiled. "There was a chef. Brass is picking him up right now for questioning. Let's see what we can see."

Grissom nodded and led the way into the house. Once inside he pointed to the study.

"You start in there. I'll take the kitchen, and we'll meet in the middle . . . " his voice trailed off as the walked through the dining room doors.

Sara turned and started toward the study. "Boy, I have been trying to do that for years . . . "

The study was neat and organized. Sara knew that in an office as organized as this there were only three places that people hid things that they didn't want anyone else to find. In the back of the file cabinet, in the bottom of the bottom desk drawer, or in the trash can. People were so predictable. What nobody seemed to realize that was that if you wanted to hide documents from someone, you should put them in a file, label them something boring like 'orthodontist bills' and file the file correctly. Not that she wouldn't find it anyway . . . but it would make it more difficult. But lucky for her nobody seemed to have that much common sense.

She headed first for the filing cabinet. Unlocked, meaning, she most likely wasn't going to find anything important here. Despite that she began flipping through files. "A place for everything and everything in its place . . . " she muttered.

Starting with 'Acting lessons - Maddie' and ending with 'Vet bills - 06', everything was perfectly organized and in its correct place. Only briefly did Sara wonder why Mr. Fina kept his files in a temporary home instead of in New York in the permanent residence. But some people were anal about their files and bills. She might never admit it, but she kept a zip disk with her at all times with anything she thought was important about herself. It was currently hidden in the lining of her purse. So she decided that it wasn't that strange for him to want to have these things with him at all times. You never knew when things would come in handy or you might actually need something. Still, there was nothing of use to her here.

She turned and walked over to the trash can. She reached a gloved hand into the almost full waste can. "Must be the maid's week off . . . "

She pulled out balled pieces of paper out one at a time. Smoothing each one she quickly skimmed each document. Memos from his agent, a reminder to pick the dogs up at the kennel today, an old home schooling application partially filled out by Mrs. Fina. Apparently they were not planning on hiring someone or sending Maddie to school in the fall. Bagging each one just incase Sara stood.

She sat down in the leather chair behind the desk and began opening drawers. Rifling through staples, crayons, rubber bands, pens, pencils, and the like; the first three drawers held nothing of interest except a few pictures of Maddie's birthday party which she pocketed incase they needed to make an identification.

As predictable as people could be, the bottom drawer closest to the wall was locked. After fiddling with it for a minute Sara stood again.

Walking out toward the kitchen "Grissom?"

"Yeah, Sara?" he was bagging was appeared to be one of the plates from the table.

"You didn't happen to see keys around here did you? Bottom desk drawer islocked in the office."

"Uh . . . try the top drawer of the night stand . . . behind the condoms."

Sara smiled. "Thanks."

She left in the direction of the master bedroom. On the way she passed the open door of the little girl's bedroom. She stopped and looked inside. Everything just screamed innocence. From the pale pink of the walls to the bright bubble-gum-colored comforter. The teddy bears littering the shelves and the bed. The barbies scattered over the floor. Pictures of the child with either one parent or the other covered the walls. Sara assumed that the other was the one taking the photo.

"She was loved . . . " she hadn't heard Grissom come up behind her.

"Grissom, even if we find her - her whole world has been flipped upside down. She'll never be . . . " Sara stopped and waved her hand into the room " . . . this innocent again."

"Sara, she's young. Little kids are resilient . . . she'll be ok."

Sara looked at him and tears burned in her eyes. "I wasn't." She turned around from the doorway and blinked the tears away. She heard Grissom's sigh but ignored him as she walked down the hallway to the parent's bedroom.

She found the keys right were Grissom said they would be, behind the condoms.

_What kind of married couple uses condoms?_ She thought absently.

When she tried the keys in the desk drawer the second one opened it with a click. "Presto . . . " she mumbled pulling the drawer open. Inside she found almost what she was expecting. Files with no labels. One was full of rejection letters from casting directors. One held what she could only call his little black book. Around 300 names and dates . . . give or take a few. From what Sara could tell none since he'd gotten married. There was nothing illegal in this drawer. Just a lot of things that the man had been ashamed of. No wonder he kept it locked. If a person was dumb enough to put all the things he hated about himself into a single drawer it only made sense that he'd keep it under lock and key. He wouldn't want anyone, not even his wife, to have access to the darkness it contained.

Sara kept flipping through the files one after another. She came to realize that if this was as bad as Andrew's secrets got then he hadn't been a bad man at all. Little things that he was probably really ashamed of. But small enough things that most people wouldn't have given them a second glance.

At the very bottom of the drawer Sara found a photograph of a little girl, probably six or seven years old. She picked it up and flipped it over. 'Penelope - Age 6' was written across the back. Did Andrew have another daughter? Looking at the girl in the photo, Sara decided not. What was he doing with this picture? Then she noticed the envelope tucked into the corner of the drawer. She pulled it free. As she read over the letter inside she knew that Penelope wasn't Mr. Fina's daughter. And she was pretty sure she had found the cook's motive.

She almost ran into the kitchen. "Griss . . . I think I've got something. The cook. . . Anthony Ampress?" she was a little out of breath. " Check this out." She handed him the letter to read for himself.

"_Dear Mr. Fina_

_I am writing to you, sir, to ask your help. I have enclosed a photo of my dear granddaughter, Penelope. The photo was taken at her last birthday. Sir, I have been working for your family since before my own daughter was born and I have been working for you personally, sir, for as long as my Penelope has been alive. Two weeks ago, she was diagnosed with a rare, but treatable, blood disorder. But, sir, my family and I cannot afford this treatment. I know it is a large favor to ask of you sir, but I have been your faithful employee for many years. I would repay you, sir, but to earn the money takes time. Time my grand baby does not have. This is hard for me to ask, being a man who has always provided for my family. But, please, sir, what if it were your daughter? I'm begging you sir, please help us._

_Sincerely, _

_Anthony Ampress"_

Grissom's eyes lit up as he handed the note back to Sara. "Do we know if Mr. Fina gave him the money?"

"No, not for sure. But it's a good place to start digging. And I didn't find anything in the office to suggest that he did. And the man was very organized. I don't think any sum of money left their bank accounts without leaving a paper trail."

That made Grissom smile. "Ok Sara, bag it, tag it, and lets get this stuff back to the lab. Then we'll head over and have a little conversation with Mr. Ampress."

Sara had her evidence ready to go in five minutes flat and stood in the hall tapping her feet as Grissom finished bagging what was left of the three meals.

The drive back to the lab seemed to last forever. Sara was eager to get going and wished Grissom would drive a little faster. She was tapping her fingers on the center console in a rather impatient tune when she felt Grissoms's fingers cover her own.

"Sara, I'm doing the speed limit. I'll get us there as fast as I can. But I'd like to get us there alive." He never took his eyes off the road and as soon as he was done talking his hand left hers.

How on earth did he always know what she was thinking? Was she that obvious? "Sorry Griss...I just want a good outcome on my..." she trailed off horrified of what she had almost said.

"...last case..." that would have started that conversation she was dreading and once again she was stuck in a moving vehicle. This time Grissom did glance over, finishing her sentence with a look and a sigh. Sorrow? Pity? There was something in that sigh that Sara couldn't identify.

"All in good time Sara...we do the best we can. Expecting the worst and praying for the best."

"I thought you weren't a religious man Dr. Grissom." Sara was eager to change the subject.

Grissom took the bait. "Just because I don't like the way that we, as the human race, observe God doesn't mean I don't believe in him. People kill in His name. Fight in His name. When they're in trouble everyone prays. Even an atheist - faced with something terrible, horrible...will utter 'Oh my God...' Or a silent plea of 'Please help me...' and why would you even say it if you honestly thought it wouldn't do any good? And who's there to help you other then a God? So in response to your statement. No, I am not a religious man. I don't like the organization of the religion business. But yes, I do believe in a God."

"Ahh, I get it..." Sara looked out the window.

The rest of the drive to the lab was in silence. Still the comfortable silence. This time, though, not because it just was...but because this time Sara was silently praying for the small girl she wanted desperately to save. She hadn't prayed in a long time. It had never really done her any good...but if there was even a chance...well this time they could use all the help they could get.

They finally reached the lab and logged in the evidence. Grissom asked that all of his samples form the kitchen get tested for cyanide. Sara took the letter and all the other papers to documents and got a copy made, which she then took with her back to the Tahoe.

Waiting for Grissom she felt an impish urge to honk the horn at him when he walked out of the building. But she restrained herself...that wouldn't make him happy. He had put on his ball cap again and Sara smiled. He was adorable in that thing. His curls poking free from underneath. She had the desire to just reach out and touch them. Give them a small tug. What was it about this man that made her feel like a highschool girl with a crush. As he climbed into the vehicle she hid her grin. God, she was going to miss him.

To Be Continued...


	8. Chapter 8

Title: Last Chance - Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I own all seasons on DVD . . . all three games . . . puzzles, so many I can't count . . . and god only knows what else. But unfortunately I still do not own the characters. So . . . still not mine. Still no infringement intended. Don't sue me . . . I am just getting my GSR fix this way. It's easier then arguing with TPTB . . . Nor do I own any products mentioned. So they shouldn't sue me either.

Authors note: I got some free time . . . it's my night off. So I am hoping to get most of the rest of what I got written typed. But I am not promising anything. :) But I will try. I love feedback and I want to thank all the kind souls who have taken a minute of their time to leave it. You guys rock. Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

Grissom caught her grin as he got into the vehicle. "What are you so happy about?" he all but grumbled at her. He didn't mean to sound grouchy, but he was tired. 

"I'm not smiling because I'm happy Grissom, I'm smiling because I am trying to stay optimistic."

Grissom just grunted. Sometimes he couldn't figure her out. That sure didn't look like a 'trying to stay optimistic' smile. But it might explain the undertone of sadness in her voice. He just shrugged and pulled out of the lot.

Sara chattered all the way to the police station but Grissom didn't hear a lot of it. His brain was occupied by four things. The case, how close Sara was to him . . . again, finding the girl, and that smell . . . Sara's smell. _My god . . . what IS that?_ He interrupted her mid-sentence. "Are you wearing perfume?"

"You know better then that Griss . . . " Sara was looking at him suspiciously. "Why?"

"Lotion? Soap? Shampoo . . . ?" he trailed off as he suddenly realized what he was going on about.

"Grissom? What on earth? Lotion yes . . . but it's unscented. Same goes for the soap and the shampoo is Head and Shoulders . . . Why?"

"Uhh . . . something smells . . . goodimean . . . " Grissom groaned inwardly and rushed the last three words together. He saw Sara's blush creeping up her cheeks and could tell by the heat on his face that he was equally red.

Sara cleared her throat. "My laundry detergent maybe?" She held out her arm as though she was asking him to sniff it.

He was tempted to take her up on that offer but . . . "Forget it . . . we're here." He had shut off the car and gotten out before she could respond.

He walked around the back of the car and then around until he was standing beside her. "Shall we?"

She started a step ahead of him, and like it was meant to be there, his hand found its way to the small of her back. When he realized what his traitorous hand was doing he almost jerked it away. But she either didn't notice, or didn't care. And he was probably enjoying the feel of her back against his palm a little too much.

As they reached the door he regretfully pulled his hand away and opened the door.

Warrick was standing at the desk waiting for them. "Please tell me you guys have something." His tone was pleading and Grissom nodded shortly as Sara handed him the copy of the letter.

"Might be motive." Grissom stated.

Sara looked at him and smiled. "That's what we're here for. Lets go ask him."

As she started down the hall, Grissom just watched her. He turned to Warrick, who was watching him with interest.

"Everything ok Griss? You seem a little . . . distracted."

Grissom blinked twice. _Am I that transparent today?_

He shrugged. "I'm losing . . . " he let the sentence trail off as he followed after Sara, leaving poor Warrick all kinds of confused.

Sara was handing the note to Brass as Grissom walked into the room.

Jim smiled and handed the note back. "Gotcha." He turned to Grissom. "This guys the nervous type."

Grissom looked through the glass and saw a man probably five years his senior. He was wringing his hands and appeared to be grinding his teeth. Grissom grabbed a cup of coffee and followed Sara into the interrogation room. "Mr. Ampress? My name is Gil Grissom and this is my partner Sara Sidle. We work with the Las Vegas Crime Lab." He offered the coffee to the man.

"N..n..no thanks . . . c..c..coffee makes me j..j..jumpy."

"Just relax Mr. Ampress. We just want to ask you some easy questions."

"P..p..please Mr. G..g..grissom call me Anthony."

"Ok, Anthony. First, did you know Mr. and Mrs. Fina?"

"Y..y..yes sir. I have worked for the Fina family since I was just a boy. I've been Mr. Fina's personal cook for the last s..s..seven. His stutter seemed to diminish a bit when he relaxed. "B..b..but I already t...t..told the detective that."

"Yes Anthony, but I like to hear things firsthand. Can you tell me about your personal relationship with them?"

"W..w..what personal r..r...relationship? I c..c..came in f..four times a week. Cooked. D..d..did the d..d..dishes when they were d..d...done eating. That's the ex...ex..extent of our r..r..relationship." He was staring at the table now, his hands limp on his thighs.

"Well, Anthony, we found a piece of evidence in the Fina house to refute that statement. A letter from you to him. Enclosed was a photo of your granddaughter . . . " Grissom let his words trail off.

"Yes, Penelope, she's ill . . . " He stopped and looked up at Grissom. "A b...b...blood d...d...disease. If she d...d...doesn't get t...t...treatment soon it will eat away at her heart . . . "

Sara slid the paper across the table to Ampress. "Sir, did he help you? Was he willing to lend you the money you needed?"

Anthony's eyes grew into tiny slits. "No, that filthy man said he couldn't spare the expense. Said money was going to be tight until he got paid for his last movie. Said HIS family had to come first." Ampress was angry now. "That bastard might have killed my 'nele and he didn't even care!" Apparently he lost his stutter when he was upset too, Grissom noted. "But then the damn dogs got sick. The fucking dogs..." Ampress didn't say anything else except "I think I want a lawyer." After that he clammed up.

Sara and Grissom pushed themselves away from the table and stood up. As they walked out of the room and the door shut behind them Sara looked at him and grinned. "I'm sure we got the right guy Griss...'blood' disease, 'eat her heart', who talks like that? And the dogs...the damn dogs..."

Grissom nodded. "I know it, you know it, now we have to find the evidence to prove it." He turned to Brass. "Can we get a warrant for his home? We might find something to point us to the girl."

Brass smiled. "I know a judge who's a pushover when it comes to kids and dogs. Let me make a call."

Just then Grissom's phone rang. "Grissom..."

"Hey Griss, its Nick. We got a DB here...female, young, maybe six or seven. She fits the description of your girl. Al's bringing her in now. You should probably go check it out."

Grissom sighed "Thanks Nicky, we'll go now." He hung up the phone and gave the news to Sara.

She just closed her eyes. "Oh No..."

To Be Continued...


	9. Chapter 9

Title: Last Chance - Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Did I own them in the last chapter? Do you think my financial situation has changed that drastically in the last few hours? Enough for me to purchase them? No, it hasn't. They'd be a good investment though. No infringement intended. Don't sue. Thanks!

Authors' note: This chapters not as short as I would like it to be. :) It is short, but I'm going cross-eyed from typing. So I apologize for the mistakes. They are all mine. And no, you can't have them either. :) Hang onto your shorts. Here we go again.

* * *

They both raced from the building and to the car. Sara's heart was pounding and unshed tears burned at her eyes. She wasn't quite sure why this case had her so worked up. She thought she'd been doing better. Staying emotionally unattached. But now . . . maybe because it was her last case? Maybe because it was a child - a small child - involved. Maybe a combination of them both? All Sara wanted to do was cry. That made her laugh softly and Grissom looked over at her with worry on his face. She just shook her head and looked at the floor. Cry? No, what she wanted to do was go home and get so damn drunk she forgot this day even existed. But she'd left that path a long time ago. And she had enough willpower to not drink just so she wouldn't have to fight round two with herself. She was just tired. Overworked. Over-stressed. And sadly enough coming down from her high that being around Grissom all day had caused. Reality was making her crash and burn. And damn if it didn't hurt as much as her happiness had felt good. She yawned as the pulled into the lot.

Grissom looked over at her. "You know, you can go home, get some sleep . . . if you want to."

She met his gaze. And again he didn't look away like usual. "I wouldn't sleep anyway. Besides, I'd rather be here with you. I've missed us." She stated matter of factly. She took her eyes away from his and got out of the vehicle.

She strode purposefully toward the building. She knew that had been an awfully ballsy thing to say but it had been out of her mouth before she knew it was coming.

She rolled her eyes at her reflection in the door. _"Stupid" _she thought. She held the door open and waited for Grissom to catch up to her.

He walked in ahead of her and as the door was falling shut behind them he mumbled "I've missed us too . . . " He wasn't looking at her when he said it, hell, he wasn't even facing her, but Sara's breath caught in her chest like she had been sucker punched. Her step faltered for half a step before she regained her composure.

She opted not to state the obvious, that it was his fault they never worked together anymore. And just followed him down the stairs, _why are we taking the stairs, _to the morgue. This time he held the door open for her but didn't look at her as she walked past him.

Dr. Robbins was shutting the door to the cooler when they walked in.

"Hey Doc, is she our girl?"

"Dunno yet . . . just got her back here. Walk over here with me. Maybe you can tell." He led them over to one of the stainless steel beds. "I'm warning you guys. It's not pretty."

"When is the death of a child ever pretty?" Sara said with a small tremor.

"She was beaten, raped, and beaten some more. And that is not even the worst of it." He pulled back the sheet and Sara grimaced and Grissom actually flinched.

"Oh my god . . . the poor baby . . . " Sara almost moaned. She thought she had steeled herself for this, but apparently her armor had some chinks in it. Grissom sighed beside her and when she looked over his eyes were closed and his expression was pained.

_Maybe the tin man does have a heart after all . . . _Sara thought absently.

You couldn't tell the girls identity from her face anymore. Pre-mortem cuts and bruises covered her entire body and the postmortem swelling and bruising had contorted her face like a fun-house-mirror. But Nick had been right, she did look like their girl.

Sara pulled the pictures of Maddie out of her pocket. They had been taken at her last birthday party, a pool party, and she was wearing nothing more then an orange bathing suit. Sara had noted a birthmark on the back of her left leg, about the size of a quarter, in the shape of a butterfly.

"Doc? Can we roll her?"

"Yep, we can do that . . . "

With Grissom's help Al rolled the child onto her side. Sara couldn't find the birthmark. She breathed a sigh of almost relief. Even if this wasn't Maddie, someone had lost a child today . . . in a horrible fashion.

"It's not her Griss . . . DNA will confirm it . . . "

"That means we still have a girl out there . . . " Grissom shook his head.

Sara sighed. "Lets go . . . "

Robbins covered the girl again and Grissom got on his cell phone to call nick to let him know.

"Sara, we should go home, get some rest."

"Grissom, there's still a child out there. And Brass should have that warrant soon . . . " she trailed off knowing he was right, but, like always, she hated to leave. And it wasn't like the trail was cold. They had a suspect. A GOOD suspect. A warrant in the works. And - "No Grissom - not yet ok?"

"Sara . . . " Grissom sighed, he seemed to be doing a lot of that today.

"...But Griss . . . you can go home if you want. I can call you if . . . " he was obviously tired.

"I'm not leaving you to do this alone Sara. And I wouldn't sleep either,"

Sara couldn't help herself, hearing the defeat in his voice she reached out and touched his arm. "Grissom . . . " her words were cut off as her cell phone chirped.

Jumping like she'd been pinched, she fumbled with her phone. "Sidle . . . ok . . . perfect . . . meet you there." She hung up.

"Brass, he got the warrant. You coming . . . or . . . "

"I'm coming . . . "

Sara nodded. "Ok then." She walked out of the room.

She got behind the wheel of the Tahoe. She figured that Grissom had been driving all day, and it was her turn. When he got to the car, she expected him to be annoyed, mad, or even to demand that he drove. What she didn't expect was gratitude.

He buckled his seatbelt and leaned his head against the seat. "Thanks Sara . . . for driving I mean."

"No problem Grissom . . . no problem at all."

His eyes fell closed and he faced toward the window. Sara wasn't sure if he was sleeping or thinking. But either way he didn't say another word until they were almost there.

To Be Continued . . .


	10. Chapter 10

Title: Last Chance - Chapter 10

Disclaimer: Nope, still not mine. As horrible as that may seem. So I'm still not making any profit. No infringement intended. Don't sue me. :)

Authors' note: It's 4am. My peak hour! Which means that I am going to type this now. Even if I'd rather be doing anything else. Don't get me wrong. I love writing it. Just not typing it. My computer and I have a love/hate relationship. I love to hate it. :) Anyway, I also love feedback, so if you find me worthy, please, leave me some. Thanks! Oh and realize that at the end . . . I don't know where Sara's car came from either . . . it needed to be there . . . Use your imagination . . . maybe she picked it up earlier. Sorry . . . :(

* * *

Grissom kept his eyes closed the entire way to the Ampress residence but his mind was anything but asleep. It had so much to process that for the first time in a very long time he was having trouble concentrating. This case was coming together so nice. But something was nagging at the back of Grissom's brain. Something that would be solid evidence. Something - but he just couldn't put his finger on what it was. And every time he almost had it in his grasp, another thought interrupted him - Sara. It was ridiculous. He couldn't think because he missed her. He missed her and she was less then a foot away. What the hell was he going to be like when she was really gone? Oh no, he wasn't going there yet. He still had two weeks. There would be time to go down that road of pain later.

Suddenly he snatched his thought right out of thin air. "Sara? Where are the dogs?" He sat up straight and looked at her. "Ampress was going on about the dogs . . . do we know where they are?"

"Umm . . . I found a memo in the trash to remind Mr. Fina to pick them up at the kennel today . . . you don't think . . . "

Grissom pulled out his phone. "Warrick. Sara pulled a memo from the trash in the vics office . . . to pick up the dogs. It's logged into evidence. I need you to get it and find out what kennel they used . . . " Grissom stopped but continued to hold the phone to his ear. His fingers started tapping out the same impatient tune that Sara had been tapping, just earlier in the day. "Good . . . I want you to get over there and find out if the Fina's picked them up early. And if they didn't . . . who did" He paused. "Unless of course they are still there safe and sound." He stopped to listen. "...yeah that's the conclusion we came to as well . . . We're going to Ampress' . . . ok . . . yep . . . "

He hung up the phone as they pulled up infront of a small house. A woman about Sara's age was standing on the front lawn holding the hand of a little girl. Grissom assumed that was Penelope Ampress.

Brass walked up to them as the exited the car. "Hey guys, the house is empty, well of people anyway . . . Its all yours."

Grissom walked into the house, and it was immaculate.

"Wow . . . " Sara said walking in behind him. "I always expect a suspects home to be more . . . cluttered . . . "

Grissom took in the baby blue walls with the dust free picture frames. The freshly vacuumed floor. And the perfectly straight books in the neat bookcases. "Always keep your home clean, Sara, you never know when something might happen that will bring us to your door . . . "

He raised an eyebrow at Sara and she smiled. "Lets see where they keep the dirt."

Grissom nodded. "You start in back and I'll start in the front"

Sara just nodded as she started down the hallway pointing her flashlight into every room she passed.

Forty five minutes later after finding nothing that meant anything Grissom moved back to the living room. There he found a safe, locked, but within ten more minutes of looking he had found the key. He opened the lid slowly and shined his flashlight inside. There he found three containers . . . jars. The first had no label and was filled with a powder. Grissom bagged it and grabbed the next jar. _Sleeping pills_ Grissom bagged these as well. The last seemed to be an over-the-counter allergy medication. Pills in the bottle matched the label on the outside. These he bagged as well.

The safe contained nothing else so he stood and walked back to the bedroom where Sara was rummaging through the drawers in the dresser. "Anything?"

"Nope, you?"

Grissom held up the bags containing the jars. "Possible murder weapon? Idiot locked them in the safe. Like we weren't going to look there."

Sara smiled at him. "Wanna go do the garage?"

"You read my mind." Grissom's cell rang then and he peeled off a glove before answering. "Grissom . . . really?" he broke into a grin. "...and they were . . . Good work . . . nah, you can go home . . . take a nap . . . see you in seven hours . . . " He shut his phone. "That was Warrick. The dogs were picked up yesterday . . . want to guess by whom?"

Sara grinned. "Anthony Ampress . . . "

"You got it. And we're not talking small dogs here. St. Bernard's. Plural. Two of them."

"Well if he killed them that would explain the amount of blood . . . "

"Now, lets find the evidence that says he did it." Grissom opened the garage door. "Just as clean as the rest of the house . . . "

"Does that surprise you Griss . . . ?"

"Just wondering which member of the house missed a spot." He pointed his gloved finger toward a small dark drop on the cement floor."

Sara looked around. "And I'm wondering what kind of person scrubs their garage with . . . you smell that?"

Grissom smirked. "Amateur . . . when are people going to learn that not even bleach can take away all the blood spilled. It might disappear but its still there - right under the surface just waiting for us to discover it."

Sara pulled her Luminal from her kit and began spraying the floor. It lit up in a pattern.

"Well," Grissom said, "Surely something died here . . . "

Sara was already swabbing the bright blue area. Grissom snapped off a few photos of the area before the Luminal faded.

Sara looked up from her kneeling position. "It isn't human. Field test confirms that . . . "

Grissom took another swab. "Maybe the new DNA guy can get a match to the blood at the scene . . . it's probably too degraded from the bleach but . . . "

Sara looked dead serious. "...we can only hope . . . "

"No, Sara, we can find those two dogs. Science tells me he had to have drugged them with something . . . or bashed them over the head with something. Hung them up . . . and bled them like pigs . . . " Sara looked about ready to throw up. Her eyes closed and she swallowed fast. "You ok?"

She cleared her throat. "Yeah, I'm fine, just a little . . . disturbed . . . "

Grissom put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry . . . I know you . . . "

"Hey Griss, it's not like it's your fault that this guys nothing but a revenge seeking sicko . . . I've seen worse. Heard worse. And processed worse. I'll be fine."

Grissom nodded. He almost believed her.

"Uh Griss?"

"Yeah?"

Sara gave him a weak smile. "I think I should go home and sleep for a while." She did sound tired and wasn't as though he didn't feel dead on his feet.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, why don't we let the cops do their jobs for a while . . . are we done here?"

"For now . . . come on, I'll take you back to your car."

He led her out of the house, again with his hand against her back. But this time out of worry. For Sara to relent . . . even temporarily . . . without being forced to, in the middle of a case, she must be dead tired.

"Sara? You want me to take you home?" he asked as the pulled away from the house.

"Nah, I'm good to drive." She was quiet the rest of the drive back to the lab.

"Sleep Sara . . . " he said as he pulled up beside her car.

"Yeah Grissom, you too." She waved at him. "See you tonight though." She slammed the car door and climbed inside her own vehicle, pulling out of the lot a few minutes later.

To Be Continued...


	11. Chapter 11

Title: Last Chance - Chapter 11

Disclaimer: Not mine. Enough said. No infringement intended. Don't sue. Thanks.

Authors' note: Fight with mom. Disagreement with myself. Escape? Chapter 11. Me and my hostile life take full responsibility for any mistakes there are in this Chapter. Please read and review as I really like feedback and maybe it'll make my day better . . . even if you want to flame me. :) Enjoy.

* * *

As Sara pulled away from the lab, she drove in the general direction of her apartment. She had no intention of going home, but Grissom had looked so tried it had literally scared her. She knew he wouldn't have gone home if she hadn't. So she pleaded fatigue. He'd be upset . . . _Really upset_ . . . when he found out she lied. But it was better then watching him burn himself out. 

When she was sure Grissom had bought her story, and wasn't following her for any reason, she doubled back and headed for the police station where they were holding Anthony Ampress.

When she walked in the door, Brass looked at her with surprise. "I thought Grissom said you guys were clocking out for a while?"

"Yeah, he did, but I didn't. Get anything new yet?"

"Oh, uh, no . . . his lawyer advised him not to talk to us."

"Figures . . . But I've got a couple of questions for him, if you don't mind . . . "

"Sure, you can try . . . But he's not talking."

"Great, thanks Jim, and um, by the way, can you not mention to Griss that I'm here. I mean not right away. Let him get some sleep . . . "

"Sure Sara, but if he asks . . . "

"I know - and I'll tell him once he's had some sleep." Sara turned around and walked into the interrogation room

"Mr. Ampress . . . How are you today? Do you remember me? Sara Sidle . . . from the Las Vegas Crime Lab?"

Ampress nodded. "Y..y..yes. You and that p...p..partner.

"Good. I have a couple more questions for you and I'd really appreciate your honesty. Can you handle that?"

Ampress just looked down at his hands.

Sara started. "I met Penelope today Mr. Ampress . . . she's a beautiful little girl."

Anthony's eyes lit up. "Y..y..yes she is. She is my s..s...sunshine...my only daughter's, only daughter." Then his face clouded over. "But she is dying Miss Sidle, and I am helpless to save her. The treatment would cost just more than six thousand dollars. Money I do not have. Money I cannot get."

"And so when you asked Mr. Fina for help? What happened?"

Ampress' lawyer touched his shoulder, signaling him not to answer. But Ampress just shrugged his hand away. "That bastard . . . he told me . . . 'no' - he didn't have the money, how does a celebrity or his caliber NOT have the money? But he told me he would PRAY for my 'nele . . . HA! I didn't need his prayers. I needed the money. And you know what?" He paused.

"What, Mr. Ampress?"

"They never did. Pray I mean. Not once during supper prayer did they ever pray for her. I would listen and I would wait every day. And that monster couldn't even do THAT for her. It was free . . . it was simple. And he just didn't do it. And Miss Sidle . . . I didn't forget. How could I? Every single night I went home and looked at my grand baby. Watched her getting sicker. And Miss Sidle . . . I got so mad." He looked away. Tears glistening in his eyes. "My baby doesn't deserve this."

"Mr. Ampress . . . maybe he really didn't have the money."

"No! He did. I know he did. Five days ago . . . the dogs got sick. Really sick. They were normally very active animals . . . but then that morning . . . neither one could even stand up. And you can bet he didn't let them die. They got taken to the vet that very morning. Best animal hospital in Vegas. Three days ago I found a bill. From the vet. For the fucking dogs. Seven thousand three hundred and fifty-six dollars. For the DOGS Miss Sidle. Dogs. But not Six thousand for another human life. " Ampress was visibly shaking with anger now, and again his stutter was gone. "And I hope they both rot in hell. They deserve what they got. "

Then he got silent and calm again. No matter what Sara said all she got back was a blank stare. Finally she just stood and walked out of the room. "He's got her - Somewhere . . . Dammit! I know he does!" Sara knew the desperation in her voice and she hated it. She was losing her cool and she didn't know how to regain it.

"I know it's frustrating, Sara, but she's out there somewhere and if anyone can find her it'll be you guys. It's what you do." Brass was right.

Sara closed her eyes. This was her job. This was something she was not only good at. This was something she excelled at. She just needed to calm down. Think about it. Look at it unbiasedly. She smiled weakly at Brass and calmly walked out of the precinct.

Once in her own car Sara just drove. Thinking, playing out scenarios over and over in her head. This man wasn't going to get the best of her. She parked the car beside a park. She rolled down her windows and closed her eyes as she concentrated only on the feel of the wind playing with her hair.

When her cell phone rang thirty minutes later, she was shocked to realize that much time had passed. Nothing had been on her brain for and entire half hour. Not the case . . . not even G... And it wasn't going there now. She's only been thinking of the wind on her face.

She picked up the phone. "Sara . . . "

"Hey Sara, it's Jessie. Grissom was right, I couldn't get a match off the floor swabs. But I was able to determine that it did indeed come from a dog."

"Great, thanks Jessie." Sara hung up the phone.

She dialed the lab and asked to be directed to Trace.

A woman picked up the phone. "This is Sheila."

"Hey Sheila . . . it's Sara - I was wondering if you had the results from the dinner plates?"

"Yep, perfect timing. They're printing right now . . . "

"...And?" Sara asked impatiently. She wished they would find one good lab tech and stick with them. Not that it would matter in a couple weeks anyway . . .

"Both the mom and dad's plates came back positive for cyanide. Large doses . . . way above the fatal limit."

"And the girl's?" Sara was almost afraid to hear it.

"Plate was clean. No cyanide. But I did find a high dose of sleeping medication. I'm assuming the girl didn't like Filet Minion . . . her sample was just a salad plate with ketchup, a bite of hotdog, and an uneaten bun . . . Anyway. At those levels that kid would have been snoring in her food."

"Good. Maybe she slept through her parents' deaths." As she hung up the phone, Sara felt somewhat relieved. If Ampress had planned on killing her, he would have just done so at the table with her parents. And now that signs were pointing to the conclusion that she was very possibly still alive, Sara felt renewed hope. She started the car and headed back the way she came. She had to talk to Ampress.

She walked back into the interrogation room and Ampress looked at her. "I have nothing else to say to you Miss Sidle."

"Mr. Ampress. We have definitive proof that you killed Mr. and Mrs. Fina, covered their bodies with the blood of their own dogs, and took their daughter. Mr. Ampress, we know how and we know why. We found a stain on your garage floor." Lying just a little . . . "And we've matched it to the blood found at the crime scene. We have the cyanide you used to poison the couple . . . "which wasn't a lie . . . she hoped. "And we have the sleeping pills you slipped to Maddie." Probably. Sara stared him down.

His lawyer leaned over and whispered something in Anthony's ear. Ampress shook his head but said nothing.

Sara started again. "I believe you don't want harm to come to Maddie Fina. So do yourself, and that little girl, a favor, and tell me what you did with her."

With that Ampress said "Miss Sidle, you don't know anything. I didn't kill anyone - and even if I had - telling you where the Fina child _might_ be - well, that would be considered confessing. Which my lawyer strongly encourages against."

Sara sighed as though she were tiring of this game. "Mr. Ampress, you are going to jail. For a long time. The only question now is, for how long? If you tell me where Maddie is, and if she's there alive, the DA is going to offer you a plea. This will be your only chance at this offer. You could get your sentence reduced to half. Instead of doing Twenty-five to life . . . you'll do Fifteen to twenty-five."

"Miss Sidle . . . I'm an old man. Either way we play it, I'm going to die in there." His lawyer clapped a hand on his shoulder to shut him up but Anthony just glared at him and knocked it away. "Ok. Ok . . . I killed them. The cyanide was so easy to get. You'd be amazed how easy it is to break into a university chemistry lab. It was easy to cook into their food. Too easy. They didn't even know what they were eating. The little girl, Maddie, I ground hers up and put it in the ketchup. Girl eats so much ketchup . . . on everything. The plan almost failed . . . , she started falling asleep right there at the table before her parents had even gotten to the poison. But her mother . . . fool . . . just excused it as her having a long day. Carried her to her room. Then she came back, and they ate. They ate until they died. Gluttonous pigs. The stuff works fast. Wasn't even a whole hour before they were both dead. They started looking a little sick . . . then - BAM - it was over. I had brought the blood with me in the trunk of my car. Big buckets . . . Who would have guessed that such a dumb animal had so much blood in it? I posed them, but you already knew that . . . forced in death to stare at the heart of the animal they chose to give their lives for . . . forced for eternity to PRAY for my baby. Dumped the blood over them. Scooped up the little girl, she's a tiny one, not real heavy, and the buckets...and then I got the hell out of there." A sad smile crossed his lips. "Their lives would have cost them six thousand dollars." Ampress sat back in his chair. Apparently confessing was good for him. Sara hadn't noticed one stutter. In fact he looked downright relaxed. "I didn't kill the child. I would never hurt a child Miss Sidle. I am not a monster. I killed them because they killed my 'nele. I couldn't let them get away with killing her..." he started crying. "I did it for her, because I love her Miss Sidle...I love her so much...and she's dying.

Sara nodded. "Where is she Anthony?" Her voice was calm but her hands were sweaty and her heart was pounding. She hadn't really expected a confession...expect the worst...pray for the best.

He sighed. "There's a storage compartment. Under the name Dominick Garmen...you'll find her there." he rattled off an address.

Sara almost wept with relief as she bolted for the door. Pray for the best. He could be lying..he could have already killed her...there were a lot of could haves.

She grabbed her cell phone and hit Grissom's number as she got in her car and started the engine. His voice floated through the phone lines and he didn't sound as though she'd woken him.

"Grissom, it's Sara . . . Ampress gave it up. We're going to get the girl." She recited the address to him and flung her phone to the side.

She tore from the lot, led by two police cruisers with lights flashing and sirens blaring. Behind her was another two.

"Hold on baby, helps coming, we're on our way."

To Be Continued . . .


	12. Chapter 12

Title: Last Chance - Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I still don't own them. And that's starting to depress me. But, I digress. I'm not making any profit. Don't sue. I don't have anything you'd want anyway.

Authors' note: Ok . . . the break in the stories are because I mashed this all together into one chapter instead of breaking it down into a bunch of teeny tiny chapters. Trust me, you'll thank me later.

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After dropping Sara at her car, Grissom had come home, but like he expected he hadn't slept at all. For as tired as he had been, his brain just wouldn't shut off now. He laid back against his couch and willed his phone to ring. Good news, bad news, any news . . .

He wondered if Sara was having any better luck sleeping than he was. Probably not. He knew her better then that. His mind was flipping back like a Rolodex through his memory bank of her. The good, the bad, all of it . . .

When his phone rang he almost dropped it. "Yeah . . . Grissom." He announced as he answered. Her voice floated back at him. And she sure didn't sound tired anymore.

He scribbled down the address she recited to him and grabbed his keys off the table.

* * *

Sara pulled up infront of the storage door and the cops around her silenced their sirens. She fumbled with the keys the manager had given her before finally unlocking the heavy door.

"Maddie? Honey, are you in here?" She didn't hear a reply and she pulled her flashlight out, shining it over the floor. She saw the bodies of the two giant dogs in one corner.

"Maddie Fina? Honey, you're safe now . . . I'm here to help you."

From behind a pile of junk came a small voice in reply. "Where's my mommy?"

Sara aimed her flashlight in that direction but still saw nothing. "Maddie, it's ok to come out now . . . we won't hurt you. Ok? You're safe."

Sara walked toward where she had heard the voice coming from and she saw a flash of blond hair as the child ducked to hide. "Maddie, sweetheart, my name is Sara. I work with the police. Honey, we've been looking for you - are you ok?"

A small voice wavered back. "I want my mommy and daddy! Roscoe and Cedar are gone!" The girl was working herself into a panic now. "I woke up and saw them. And they were gone!"

Sara assumed she was talking about the dogs in the corner. _Asshole could have at least covered them up . . . _

Maddie was sobbing now. "I don't want to be gone like them!" She hiccupped loudly. "I want to go HOME!"

Sara felt like crying too, knowing to well what Maddie was going to go through. Not only did she lose her parents, and her dogs tonight, but she'd lost her home too. She was still young . . . and maybe she had family to take her in . . . but if not, she was still young enough to be adopted as opposed to bouncing around from foster home to foster home. Unlike Sara. But either way, it wasn't going to be fun . . . or easy.

Sara's eyes burned as she promised the girl the one thing she couldn't give her. "Honey, I promise you'll be ok . . . Come with me . . . I'll take you home."

The first thing Sara saw was the girl's piggy-tails - lopsided now, stray hairs poking up all over. Then dark brown eyes, scared and wild like an animal in a trap.

Sara stepped over beside her. She held out her hand and tentatively Maddie accepted. Sara slowly drew her close and led her from the building.

Tears were streaming down the girl's face and her fingers were as cold as ice. "Miss Sara?" The girl was looking up at her with a dirty face. Sara got down on one knee to look the girl in the eye. "You won't leave me will you?"

Sara was hugging the girl before she knew what she was doing. "No honey, I won't leave you."

* * *

Grissom pulled up to the storage container just in time to watch Sara lead the little girl out. She was safe. He breathed a sigh of relief. Stepping from his vehicle, he walked toward Sara. He stopped when they did and smiled a soft smile as Sara wrapped the girl in her arms and held her.

Out of nowhere the thought of Sara as a mother assaulted his head. And he knew she'd be a great one. When Sara scooped the little girl up into her arms and carried her to the ambulance Grissom felt a knot growing in his stomach.

That wonderful, gentle, caring, beautiful, woman could have been, no, should have been his years ago. And now she was leaving. With a sudden sense of panic he strode toward the ambulance. What he saw when he got there tugged at his heart strings again. Little Maddie was curled up on Sara's lap. Her head snuggled against her chest and her hand still gripping Sara's.

The paramedics had pronounced her cold, tired, and a little dehydrated, but otherwise fine . . . physically anyway. She still didn't know her parents were dead. Sara must have felt him staring because she glanced in his direction - seeing him for the first time. She smiled a sad smile and seemed to hold the child tighter.

In ten to twenty years this memory would be so faint to Maddie that it will seem like a bad dream she can't quite remember. She'll remember feeling afraid . . . she'll remember it was the night she lost everything. She'll remember that a nice lady saved her, held her, kept her warm. But she wouldn't remember Sara's name, or her face. But Grissom knew that Sara would carry this one with her forever. Hell, he'd carry this memory around with him forever.

* * *

Sara saw Grissom standing outside the ambulance doors. She smiled at him and without realizing it hugged the girl closer and started rocking softly.

"Miss Sara?"

Sara looked down into Maddie's eyes. "Yes, baby?"

"Are my mommy and daddy gone? Like Roscoe and Cedar are gone?"

Maddie wasn't crying anymore but now Sara was. "Yeah honey... they are . . . How did you know that?"

A slight tremble went through the small girl. "Cause when Mr. Ampress took me to his car . . ." She stopped. "I - I - I woke up . . . but I pretended to be asleep . . . so he wouldn't get mad at me . . . b..b...but I saw them...they were covered in red icky stuff. A...a...a..and when Mr. Ampress stepped in it, it made a squishy noise. And I knew then Miss Sara, I knew they were gone. They just felt gone."

Sara couldn't stop the tears now. She was embarrassed to be crying like this at a scene...but God if it didn't bring back memories of _that_ night. The night she sat and was told her father was dead and her mother was going to prison...and that she'd never have a family again. Nobody ever said that, but she knew, she had just felt it.

She sat there rocking and crying with the little girl wrapped in her arms, her own memories flooding back.

When she looked up again Grissom was gone. She was relieved that he had given her that amount of privacy.

A paramedic came around back of the ambulance. "Miss? Do you want to ride along?"

Maddie looked up at Sara. "Don't leave me ok?"

Sara smiled at the child before nodding at the paramedic. The doors were slammed shut and Sara felt the vehicle begin to move.

* * *

As the ambulance pulled away with Sara still inside. Grissom slumped against his car. He'd been up now for...going on 34 hours. It had been 23 since the girl had been taken. Not even an entire day had passed and her life was changed forever.

Watching Sara cry had never been a nice experience for him, but tonight it was the worst thing in the world. He wasn't sure if he should go to her. Or keep his distance. He'd spent so many years keeping his distance that he didn't know if he'd still be allowed to comfort her. And hell if he knew how anyway. He could be there and he could listen and he could honest to God care...but what if he said the wrong things again? What if he only made it worse?

He was just standing there with a pained expression on his face when Brass walked up to him. "Hey Griss, your CSI did a good job tonight. You should have seen her extract that confession from that guy. Are you sure she wasn't a cop back in Frisco?"

Grissom eyes Brass suspiciously. "Sara?"

"Uh, yeah buddy, who else?"

"You mean she didn't go home?"

"Umm . . . " Brass suddenly looked uncomfortable. "Uh, no . . . Griss she didn't. But she practically begged me not to tell you. Said something about you not quitting until she did - "

Grissom suddenly felt very guilty for the time he'd spent at home while Sara was working. "I won't tell her you told." He sighed. "What hospital did they go to?"

"Desert Palms . . . you want me to have someone take her car there?"

"No, that's ok. I'll drop her back off here when she's ready."

Grissom climbed into his car and pulled away. Lights still flashing in the rearview mirror. He just drove. What seemed like hours were only minutes and every corner he turned was the same as the last. He was everywhere but going nowhere. He wasn't sure how long he'd been driving around before his cell phone rang and startled him back to reality.

To Be Continued . . .

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AAN: Sorry if this one lost you. I wanted to do it in chapters . . . but I couldn't because they were just to short for that. :) 


	13. Chapter 13

Title: Last Chance - Chapter 13

Disclaimer: By now you should have gotten the point that as much as I want them, I do not own them. Trust me when I do, I won't have to get my jolly's by writing fanfics. ;) Not that I ever will . . . oh well. Don't sue me. Thanks!

Authors' note: Ohhh the fluff. I promise promise promise it's coming. Cause I love the fluff. I have up until chapter 15 written out. After that . . . I had to stop because the angst lover in me was coming out . . . and I didn't want this story to head in that direction. I apologize in advance if I do decide to go down that road . . . :) Please R&R and thanks to all of you that have! You still rock! Enjoy!

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Sara had stopped crying and Maddie had actually fallen asleep by the time the ambulance had stopped and the back doors opened. As Sara carried the sleeping child into the hospital she felt as though she herself needed to be admitted. She was almost asleep on her feet and emotionally drained. For the first time Sara was looking forward to getting some sleep.

Though there was nothing apparently wrong with Maddie, they were going to keep her overnight for observation before sending her to the first of, Sara feared, many foster homes.

The nurse took Maddie back into a room to get her settled. She only let Sara go after she had promised, three times so it counted, that she would come back and see her after they had both gotten some sleep.

Sara waited until the nurse came back to tell her that Maddie was asleep before she left the hospital. As she stepped outside and the cool Nevada wind hit her, she realized she didn't have her car. Or her purse, wallet, or jacket. She could call a cab - but first she had to find one willing to pick her up at a hospital with no money, no coat, mascara running, red-eyed, and runny nosed. Then be willing to drop her off outside a storage container lot, he couldn't drive in, it was still a crime scene, wait there, trusting her she would be back with his money . . . "Yeah right. That'll be the day."

She started laughing until she felt sick to her stomach and the tears were rolling down her cheeks. Blame it on the stress or just being so overly tired. She didn't care. To her, this moment was funny. _Apparently really funny . . . _She was miles from home, no way to get back, dirty, tear streaked, tired, and getting kind of cold. Something inside her had finally just snapped and her body was so done sobbing. When the emotions finally came through, who knew they'd be in a fit of giggles?

Eventually she calmed down enough to realize she needed to get home. She couldn't spend the rest of the night hysterically laughing in the 'No Parking' area of the hospital. She sat down on the bench just outside the door. She knew one person she could call. One person who would come get her and take her home. But if she called Grissom he'd want to have _that_ conversation. And she just didn't have the energy right then.

A hot shower, a few more tears, half the pint of ice cream in the freezer, and her bed, was all Sara could think about now. And if she thought about it anymore she would probably just collapse onto her couch, as is, when she got home.

She sighed, realizing she didn't have another option right then, and dialed Grissom's number. He took four rings to answer and she hoped she hadn't woken him.

"Grissom . . . " his voice sounded as tired as she felt.

"Hey Griss, did I wake you?"

"Sara . . . no . . . I was just . . . driving . . . aimlessly, I think."

"Am I bothering you?"

"No honey, not at all. What can I do?" She was sure the 'honey' was just because he was tired. It was like word association. I say 'tired upset friend' you say . . . 'honey'.

"Uh, I kind of need a ride."

"Oh right, your cars still at the scene."

"Can you come get me?"

"Yeah, I'm on my way."

"Hey...Griss?" She said loudly so he wouldn't hang up. Then softer. "Thanks."

"Anytime Sara . . . anytime."

"I know. I'll see you soon."

"Ok."

"Bye . . . " _Hang up the phone, Sidle!_

Breaking the connection, she walked back through the doors shivering from the breeze. She sat down in one of the cold, hard, plastic chairs in the waiting area, letting her mind settle exactly where it wanted to. Grissom. He was being so . . . civil. _Yeah Sidle, because he knows your leaving. _But that couldn't be all, could it? _Yeah, you know Gil Grissom . . . it could be all._

Images from the last day or so filled her head. His smile, he was being awfully generous with it. Those eyes, never had she read so much emotion in them, granted she could be wrong about what she saw, but she didn't think so. His fingers over hers . . . his palm against her back . . . the 'accidental' contact in the elevator.

The next thing she knew she was opening her eyes and starting directly into Grissom's.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty. Trying to recharge your battery?"

She blinked a few times and ran her hand through her hair. "Nah, just enough of a jump start to get me home." She closed her eyes again briefly, relishing the feel of his touch, warm on her shoulder.

When she opened then again Grissom was still looking at her but his smile was gone. He just looked tired now. What surprised her the most was the sorrow she saw in his blue eyes. And his brow was furrowed in a look that Sara knew to be worry.

"You did good today Sara. I'm . . . " he stammered a little " . . . proud of you. But honey, if you keep pushing yourself so hard, you're going to burn out."

"Grissom . . . " She started but he interrupted her.

"Brass accidently let it slip that you got the confession. While you were supposed to be at home, in bed, asleep."

"Griss . . . Can we save the reprimand for tomorrow?"

"Sara, I'm not mad at you. Why do you always assume I'm upset with you?"

"Because Grissom, you treat me like a child. You hold me back at work. I've worked very hard to get where I am. I am _good_ at my job. And still you treat me differently then anyone else." Sara bowed her head. _Well, that's one confession off her chest._

"I don't worry about everyone else. At least not like I worry about you." She snapped her head up to find him searching the floor with his gaze. "When Nicky was taken, I was worried about him, afraid for him, just outright scared. But somewhere deep in my mind I was so glad it wasn't you. And it was horrible of me, and I felt so guilty. But Sara, had it been you . . . I would have been lost." He stopped. He still wouldn't look at her.

"No Griss, you would have found me, the same way we found Nick. Because I trust you." She reached out and touched his arm.

Why wouldn't he just look at her? "Every time I send you off on a case, I worry. Not because I don't think you're capable, because you are, I know that. But because I could still lose you. And I don't ever want to lose you."

His sudden confession brought a whole new set of tears to Sara's eyes. She opened her mouth to tell him that she understood, and the intercom over their head squawked to life, sending out a page for a Dr. Johnson to report to the ER.

Grissom stepped back from the spot he'd been standing, breaking the physical contact as well as the emotional one. "Come on Sara, I'll take you home."

Sara's heart was still pounding and her eyes were still burning.

She wanted to laugh. This place, a hospital for crying out loud, was not where she'd even imagine a moment like this.

She wanted to cry. The words he'd said had meant so much to her. But she imagined they meant more to him.

She wanted to scream. It wasn't fair that these moments were so few. It wasn't fair that they always ended before they were finished.

Instead of doing any of those things, she just stood and followed Grissom out the door.

To Be Continued . . .


	14. Chapter 14

Title: Last Chance - Chapter 14

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. No making any money. Please don't sue me. I don't have enough to give you for what they're worth anyway.

Authors' note: This chapter is a little long. I am thinking that the next few chapters are a little long. Well notREALLY long..but long for me. Which makes me weary to type them. This desk chair isn't really very comfortable. Do I complain to much? Anyway...Please R&R. I love feedback. Enjoy!

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Grissom led her to his car, walking three or so steps ahead of her, when all he wanted to do was hold her. Chase her pain away and kiss away the tears on her face. Instead he got into the vehicle, started the engine, and just stared straight ahead as she buckled her seatbelt and turned her face away from him.

He berated himself for what he'd said. He knew done it wrong again - the tears he'd seen in her eyes were proof of that. He put the car in reverse and backed out of the parking space. As he pulled from the lot, he chanced a look in Sara's direction. Even as a mess she was beautiful. Even as tired as she was she still had a poise about her. She had her face away from him, her right hand tucked under her left arm, and her left hand splayed over her eyes. Like she was hiding . . . from him. As they drove in silence her breathing evened out and figured she was asleep.

He drove through her neighborhood wishing the drive had been longer. He wanted to make sure she was going to be ok. Besides, he was enjoying the simpleness of listening to her breath.

As he pulled up outside her building, she sat up straight. "Griss . . . my car . . . " She trailed off still not looking in his direction.

"Sara, you're tired. I'll take you to get it tomorrow." He meant it with the best of intentions and he hoped she took it that way. "Go upstairs, get some sleep, and call me when you wake up."

She made no move to get out of the car. He was looking intently at the side of her face when she turned her sights toward him. What he saw there was unmistakable. She was scared. "Sara . . . "

She interrupted him. "Come upstairs." Two words. His heart jumped into his throat. For a second he forgot to breathe.

"I just don't want to be alone - and we need to talk - and I know my timing really sucks - and this was a bad idea - God, I'm sorry - I'll go now." She rushed the words out and began frantically searching for the door handle.

She stopped as he shut off the car. With a hand that seemed steadier then it should have been, he reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. His heart was racing and his stomach seemed to be at war with itself. "You're right honey . . . " There was that word again. Why couldn't he stop himself from saying it today? "Your timing does suck. You're exhausted Sara. But if you truly want me to go inside with you . . . I'll be there. Always, Anytime, Anywhere, Any Reason."

When she caught his hand with hers, he caught his breath in his throat. He saw tears forming in her eyes again. He caught one with his thumb as it fell down her cheek. "Honey . . . please don't cry."

She smiled a soft smile. "These tears Grissom . . . these are the good kind."

That made Grissom smile back. He hadn't done anything wrong. "Good."

Sara opened the door and got out. Before shutting it she glanced back at him before looking at her shoes. "So. uh." She cleared her throat. "Do you want to come up? As tired as I am . . . I'll be up for at least another hour, probably more. And I could really use the company."

He smiled at her even though she wasn't looking at him to see it. He didn't say anything, knowing his history. It would probably be the wrong thing. Instead he pulled the keys from the ignition and opened his door. He walked around the car to stand beside her.

She turned and walked toward the apartment complex, magically producing a set of keys from her pocket. "I don't have my purse, my car, my coat, or my sanity . . . but I managed to keep my apartment keys. Nice huh?"

Still afraid to say anything he just nodded. She opened the door to her apartment and led him inside. "Make yourself at home. I'll be right back."

She walked into the kitchen and her answering machine beeped. He heard her set the keys on the table and then the faucet start. He realized he was still standing by the door like an idiot. He walked over to the couch and relaxed into the soft material.

He listened as her footfalls changed as she slipped off her shoes and then disappeared all together as she stepped onto carpeting. He watched as she walked down the hallway and ducked into a room. The sound of a closet door opening . . . he assumed she was changing.

He closed his eyes and listened to the sounds, the wonderfully domestic sounds, of Sara Sidle. The running of water in the bathroom. The flipping of light switches. The flushing of the toilet. And a radio playing softly from somewhere in the apartment. They were all such simple sounds. He heard them every day but tonight they were better then any symphony he'd ever attended. It was Sara's music, and it was lulling him to sleep better then Bach or Mozart ever could.

He heard her coming back down the hall and opened his eyes. She'd washed her face, pulled her hair back, and changed into pajamas. He'd never appreciated a woman in pajama bottoms until he saw Sara. The purple was such an innocent color. She looked young and relaxed in her own home.

She caught his stare and he smiled. "I like your pants . . . "

She sat down on the couch beside him, one leg curled up beneath her. "You must really be tired."

That elicited a smile from him. "No, really, they're cute . . . "

Sara was turning a beautiful shade of red. He reached out and took her hand, his face growing serious. "Sara? Can I ask? Should I ask? Why are you leaving?"

Judging from the lack of surprise on her face she knew it was coming. His heart broke as she sighed. She sounded so . . . sad.

"Because it hurts too bad."

The statement was simple and honest, but his heart fell. He waited for her to say more, needed her to say more, but she only shrugged.

"Sara . . . " The words were eluding him again. He didn't know what to say and he didn't know how to say it.

"Grissom, it's a lot of things. It's coming home and not sleeping. It's the fact that I've lived in this apartment for six years and I only know one of my neighbors . . . and that's only because she came knocking on MY door." She paused and pulled her hand away."It's because my best friends are my co-workers. And when I'm not with them . . . I'm alone. It's the fact that I'm afraid to have kids because of the terrible things I see every day, and because I'm a workaholic. I'm a workaholic because I hate being alone. Because when I'm alone I hate being me. I hate how I remind myself of my parents. Being around so much violence day after day . . . Grissom, I can feel the potential in myself to be just like _her._ To get angry . . . so angry I just lose it."

He had a flashback of sitting here before. The only things different were that she wasn't curled up into herself. She was right here beside him, open to him. And she wasn't crying. She was calm and collected and as relieved as he was that tears weren't the case this time . . . he couldn't help but be worried by her lack of emotion. She was shrugging it all away. Rationalizing it again. Running from it again.

As if to confirm that she was indeed running, she looked at him. "I just need something new in my life. And nothing here ever really changes. I get up - go to work - come home - and lay in bed pretending to sleep for hours before I finally do. Always alone. It gets old after awhile."

She stood up. "I know I invited you up here for this conversation, but I'm so tired . . . " She turned to walk him to the door.

He stood up and followed behind her slowly trying desperately to think of something, anything, to say. He knew what he wanted to say he just couldn't figure out how to say it. After so long - how could he say it - so that she believed him.

By the time they got to the door and she'd reached for the knob, panic had overtaken the rest of his emotions. Including, it seemed, his thought process. "I don't want you to go."

Her hand stilled on the knob but she didn't turn to face him. "Grissom . . . I can't play this game again - it's not fair to me and . . . "

He interrupted her. "...and I don't want to play either. Because you're right. It's not fair to you. And I'm not being fair to me either." Sara dropped both hands to her sides. "The idea of you leaving scares me, Sara, because then I'd be alone."

She turned to face him, her eyes blazing. "You've always been alone Grissom - because you never let me in. Never. And that's _your_ fault."

Grissom opened his mouth to speak but she interrupted him again. "No. I am alone because you're the only man I ever really trusted. Hell, the only person I ever really trusted. And that's my fault. But I opened myself up to you. Made myself vulnerable to you. And I'm still alone."

Grissom's heart actually hurt. "Sara . . . I'm sorry." He dropped his eyes to the floor. "I never meant to hurt you. I would never hurt you on purpose. Never. I've always just wanted you to be happy. And it never seriously, at least, occurred to me that I could do that. I'm bad at these things . . . horrible really. And like an idiot, I assumed that being your friend was as good to you as anything else. Even though it would never be good enough for me. I just wanted you to be happy." He said it again.

This time when Sara looked at him there were questions in her eyes. "If you wanted to be my friend . . . why do you ignore me?"

To his surprise the answer came easily and truthfully. "Because to be near you is to love you. And you can't fall in love with your friends. At least not the way I fell for you." He heard Sara's sharp intake of breath. "Every single time I worked with you I was reminded of how beautiful, smart, sensitive, and just pure wonderful you are. And honestly . . . I didn't consider myself good enough for you. You deserve more." He looked at the floor again.

Sara reached out and lifted his chin. "Dr. Grissom, I believe your insecurities are showing . . . " his eyes darted to her face and caught her smiling. "Griss . . . you are good enough. You are a good man. An honest man. Someone I can confide in . . . someone I trust enough to confide in . . . and . . . "she smirked. "...you are a very attractive man."

Grissom's eyes slammed into hers again and he saw truth there. Then again they were filled with sadness. "Every night . . . I go to sleep alone. But you're here . . . " She placed his hand against her heart.

His heart slammed against his rib-cage. He wanted to pull her to him. He wanted to push her away. He wanted to stay with her forever - he wanted to turn and run.

He ran his hand up her neck and into her hair. She took a step closer to him, their bodies just inches apart. "Sara . . . " He brought his lips within an inch of hers. He could feel her breath tickling his skin. He locked his eyes with hers. His hand was on her face now . . . his thumb caressing her jaw. His other hand slipped behind her and pulled her to him. "Sweet Sara . . . " His heart was calm now. This fate, their fate, was out of his hands . . .

To Be Continued . . .


	15. Chapter 15

Title: Last Chance - Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I'm not making any money. If fact I am living paycheck to paycheck. So therefore I could not possibly own these characters. Don't sue me. Thanks!

Authors' note: Ok . . . I lied. This chapter is actually one of the shortest. Well it's a tie between the next two . . . I apologize. But! This means you should get two chapters today. Unless I get lazy.

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Thoughts were racing through Sara's head as Grissom drew her closer. How she should just break away. Open the door. Say goodbye. Shut the door. Lock the door.

But his eyes had never seemed so blue.

"_Take a step back. You're leaving . . . LEAVING! It's not fair to start this now. BACK AWAY!" _Her mind was screaming at her.

Instead she closed her eyes and stepped into him. This was a moment she'd fantasized about since their first encounter. It was her reoccurring dream. It was this part of her dreams she always looked forward to as she went to sleep.

He brushed his lips against hers. Slowly. Tentatively. Both hands cupping her face and she was painfully aware of every nerve ending in her entire body. His lips touched hers again. Not so tentatively. But still so gentle.

Her lips were tingling from just two little kisses. She opened her eyes and saw desire, only desire, burning in Grissom's. She ran her fingers up his back to his neck. She - _finally_ - entangled her fingers in the curls at the nape of his neck.

"Sara . . . " his voice was almost a whisper, fully a beg.

This time she kissed him, and there was nothing gentle about it. She was too eager and too tired of waiting to be gentle. She ran her tongue over his bottom lip, begging entrance. She felt him tremble when she touched her tongue to his. He tasted like coffee, and mints. His lips warm and soft.

As the kiss deepened, he slid his hands down her bare arms, sending goosebumps over her entire body. She shivered as his hand traveled back up over the thin material of covering her waist.

When he broke away, Sara's lips still tingled and her entire body was burning. Licking her lips she opened her eyes again. "I don't want to be alone tonight . . . " Relief swept through her when he smiled.

"Honey, you don't have to be."

Reaching out when one hand she flipped off the lights sending the room into darkness. She took his hand and led him down the hall toward her room. She had no intentions of doing anything but sleeping. Because she knew him to well. She didn't want him to regret it. Not ever. She stopped again at the door of the room. "Grissom . . . I . . . "

He pressed his finger to her lips. And like he knew exactly what she was thinking . . . "I'm not expecting anything Sara. Tonight I just want to be with you. So neither one of us has to be alone."

Without turning on a light Sara led him to her bed. She pulled back the covers and eased between the cool sheets. "Stay with me . . . "

She heard him kick off his shoes and empty his pockets onto her dresser. Her eyes were adjusting to the dark now and she watched as he undid the buttons of his shirt. Leaving on both his pants and the T-shirt he wore, he walked slowly over to the bed. She closed her eyes and felt his weight tilt the bed slightly. She smiled to herself as he laid down next to her. He was far enough away so that they weren't touching and she couldn't figure out how to relax him when her heart was jumping all over the map.

Finally she did the one thing that came naturally. She reached out in the dark and found his hand. He squeezed her fingers gently and she whispered "I don't bite . . . "

She heard him swallow. "Grissom . . . what's wrong?"

"Absolutely nothing. Tonight is destiny."

She shifted so she was laying on her side facing away from him. "Then hold me."

He moved up behind her and she noted even with him fully clothed she could feel his body perfectly against hers. His first touch was slow. His palm barely skimming her side. Then skimming down across her stomach until it settled with his fingers splayed just below her breasts.

She sighed as he used a small amount of pressure to draw her closer to him. She felt his breath warm against her neck and she relaxed into him. It felt as though she were melting into him as she drifted immediately to sleep.

To Be Continued . . .


	16. Chapter 16

Title: Last Chance - Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I didn't own then an hour ago. And I don't own them now. Don't sue.

Authors' note: This ones a little longer. I think I was looking at this chapter too when I said 15 was gonna be long.I didn't see I'd marked an end to a chapter...Sorry! Anyway. R&R. You all that have, I love you. :) Ok maybe not love, but I really appreciate it! Enjoy! Oh, and about the smell . . . I read somewhere that humans give off a pheromone. And that the person you are supposed to be with, is attracted to yours. The way it smells. Hope that explains it . . . Sorry I'm such a nerd.

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Grissom closed his eyes as Sara settled against him. Now that smell, that wonderful, delightful, intoxicating smell was all around him. The warmth of her body pulling him toward sleep. It had been a long time since sleep had called for him before he called for it. But he didn't want to sleep yet. He wanted to savor this moment. Permanently imprint it on his brain. Never before had he been so peaceful. Never before had he seen Sara so peaceful. He knew this was where he was supposed to be. Her body relaxed against him and her breathing evened out. Asleep. 

He just couldn't get over the fact that Sara - _his Sara_ - had forgiven him. That she had let him stay. That she had wanted him to stay. He'd done nothing but break her heart for six years. Yet here she was, nestled against him. She felt so natural against the contours of his body. Like she belonged there. Like she was made to be there.

Sleep was overpowering him now and he rested his head against her, took a deep inhale of that sweet smell, and closed his eyes. Within seconds Gil Grissom was sleeping.

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Grissom awoke the next morning without opening his eyes. His first thought was that he wasn't at home. Wrong bed, wrong smell, familiar smell. Second thought - he was wearing pants . . . that alone was strange enough. Third thought - he was alone. For a split second he couldn't figure out why he thought that was wrong. 

Then as he opened his eyes he remembered. Sara - it hadn't been a dream. Or a sleep deprived hallucination. He was in her bed. Alone . . . where was she? He reached a hand out and touched the sheets where she had laid. Cold. He sat up. She had to be around here somewhere. It was her apartment after all.

He got out of the bed and gathered his belongings. As he was putting his things back into his pockets, he noticed things he hadn't the night before. Sara's things. Strewn across the dresser. A picture of her as a child, with both parents and her brother. _They looked happy._ Apparently pictures could lie.

Sara had been an adorable child. Dark hair in pigtails, big brown eyes, freckles, and a lopsided smile that just showed off the gap between her teeth that made her smile hers. Grissom picked up the frame, touching Sara's face with his fingertip. He smiled as he set the photo down again.

He picked his shirt up off the floor and shook it out. He slipped it on, leaving the cuffs undone and the front open. Running his hand through his hair, he hopelessly tried to tame the curls that he knew to be sticking up all over his head. He grabbed his shoes off the floor letting them dangle from his fingertips. He left the bedroom calling Sara's name as he shut the door behind him. No answer. He set his shoes down in the hall and went to use the bathroom. When he exited a few minutes later, his hair was sink wet, and temporarily tamed.

He could smell coffee so he went straight for the kitchen. "Sara..?" Still no response. He was starting to worry until he saw the note propped against the coffee pot. His name was scrawled across the front in Sara's handwriting. He set it on the table and went in search of a coffee cup. He found one in the drainer by the sink.

He wasn't quite comfortable enough in her home to go in search of something to eat for breakfast so he grabbed an apple from the dish on the counter. He actually wasn't hungry . . . he was just avoiding reading that letter. Fear had been instilled in him from the moment he saw it lying there. Nothing good ever came from a letter 'left' for you to find.

He had always figured himself for the one who would panic and leave that first morning. That he would be the one filled with dread and just up and leave. He never once had played out the scenario of Sara leaving. "Just read the damn letter Gil . . . " he muttered to himself.

He sighed as he sat down. He took a drink of the coffee and unfolded the letter. Putting both arms on the table, he read . . .

_Grissom,_

_I figured since I was up anyway I would spare us both the awkwardness of 'the next morning'. But I want to thank you. For being here. I slept last night like I haven't since I was a little girl. No nightmares. You kept them all away. _

_I__t was wonderful waking up next to you. Did you know you snore? Or that your hair sticks up in tufts? It's cute. I don't regret it Griss. I never will._

_I left a key on your ring for you. Please lock up when you leave. Turn off the coffee pot, and throw the apple core in the trash. _

_I took a cab to get my car, then I'm going to the hospital to see Maddie before they release her into the system. _

_I didn't leave you Gil. I'll meet you for dinner at noon. At the diner._

_Sara_

Grissom smiled as he reread it. He slipped his shoes on and filled his cup one more time before flipping off the pot. Taking the final bite of the apple he threw it into the trash can.

He was tempted to just stay in Sara's home and enjoy being surrounded by everything that was hers. But, he glanced at his watch, he had just over two hours before he had to meet her. He had enough time to go home, grab a shower, and a change of clothes. And, he thought as he ran his hand over his face, a trim.

He pulled his keys from his pocket and flipped through them. Sara had marked hers with an 'S' written in marker.

He walked through her apartment again flipping off lights. As he walked to his car, he marveled at how well Sara knew him. He'd thought he'd hidden himself so well from her for all these years. But she probably thought she'd hidden herself pretty well from him too.

As he drove to his apartment, he thought back to the words he'd said the night before. The words she'd said. The overpowering urge to give in when he'd kissed her. Like he'd had no control over himself at all. How she'd tasted. Like toothpaste . . . and something else . . . something sweeter, something he imagined was just how she tasted . . . because he couldn't quite figure out what it was. How right it had felt as she had fallen asleep in his arms. How soundly he'd slept. Like the devil himself couldn't have woken him. Considering the job he had and the hours he kept, he always thought he'd slept pretty well. Until he'd slept next to Sara.

He pulled up outside his home and went inside. His home was so different then hers. Full of sharp edges, glaring lights, white walls . . . Cold almost. Arctic compared to Sara's. Her apartment was soft. Lived in. Warm lighting. Her walls had personality.

He glanced at his watch as he took it off. An hour and a half until he was with her again. Looking around that hour and a half seemed years away. He couldn't wait to be surrounded by her warmth again.

To Be Continued . . .


	17. Chapter 17

Title: Last Chance - Chapter 17

Disclaimer: Yes I own them. I'm also the Easter bunny. So please leave the front door unlocked for me so I can come lay some colorful eggs in random places around your home and you can rush to find them before they go bad and your house reeks until Christmas. Ok so maybe I don't. Don't sue me.

Authors Note: Ok well, this is kind of a back track in the story. Just rewind about ohhh a few hours from the end of the last chapter . . . after they fell asleep . . . before he woke up. And hey! It's long! Ok then. Please read and review because I love feedback!

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Sara's first thought when she woke up as that she wasn't tired anymore. Given that she had just woken up, that wasn't what was odd. What was odd that she felt rested. Totally relaxed. Her second thought was that Grissom was still there. Asleep beside her.

She smiled as she realized he was snoring. Not loud, just lightly when he inhaled. She turned over as gently as she could so she wouldn't wake him. God, he was adorable. His hair was sticking up in little tufts like a child's. She reached over and gently touched his face with one hand before easing herself out of the bed.

She left the bedroom without turning on a light and making as little noise as she could when she went in search of clothing to wear. She went into the bathroom and started the water in the bathtub, wincing as the pipes squeaked to life. She didn't want to wake him up. He'd had just as long of day as she had. She stepped under the water and quickly showered.

After she finished and gotten dressed, she stuck her head back into the bedroom, and found Grissom still sound asleep. She almost wished he would wake up, so she could talk to him before she left. So he could come with her. But she didn't want to get him up any sooner then he wanted to. After yesterday, he deserved to sleep.

She went to the kitchen and made a cup of tea and got the coffee pot ready. She didn't drink coffee much, but as strange as it was, sometimes she would brew a pot just to fill her apartment with the strong aroma. She did enjoy the smell. It reminded her of the good days before . . . sitting at the table with her mother at breakfast. She knew Grissom would want coffee, so she set the auto-drip feature to start in an hour.

Grabbing a yogurt from the refrigerator, she sat down at the table and left him a note. Then she called a cab to come get her to take her to her car. She knew they'd be releasing Maddie from the hospital sometime this morning and wanted to get there before she was gone.

She grabbed her spare key from the drawer and wrote an 'S' on it, so he'd know which one was hers. She tiptoed into the bedroom and slipped it on his key ring. Then she walked the edge of the bed, leaned over, and gently kissed his forehead. He mumbled something incoherent and she quickly left before she woke him, grabbing something off the chair next to the closet.

Ten minutes she was in the back of a cab on her way to the storage compartments. Crime scene tape was blocking off the actual unit and two police cruisers were sitting outside yet. As the cab drove away she flashed her badge at one officer as he strode over to her. "Good Morning - just came to collect my car." She explained when he got close enough.

"Yes, Miss Sidle, is it? Captain Brass said you'd be coming."

Sara smiled. "Yeah, I left in kind of a hurry last night."

"I was also supposed to tell you to give him and . . . " he checked his notes. "Warrick Brown, a call when you arrived."

"Ok. Great. Thanks." Sara waved as she got into her car and started the engine. The first call she made was to Warrick.

"Hey, Sara." Warrick answered his phone.

"Hey Warrick . . . how'd you know it was me?"

"Caller ID Sara . . . Ain't technology wonderful?" she heard the amusement in his voice.

She herself almost laughed outloud. God her brain forgot weird things sometimes. "Whatcha need Rick?"

"Just wanted to let you know we got Ampress for sure. Even if that confession you got doesn't hold up in court."

"Good . . . "

"We've found a positive match on the shoe treads from the hall. The moron was wearing them!"

"Check the last place first . . . "

"Well, we checked last. After we got him down to booking. Found a positive match to the blood at the scene. Which matches the blood from the bodies of the dogs, the dogs we have witness to Ampress picking up at the kennel, we found at the storage container. Not to mention we got the DNA comparison back from the hairs found on the victims. Matches Ampress without a doubt. The powder Griss found in Ampress' home was cyanide. Perfect match to the chemical composition to the cyanide we found in the vics. And the bottle of sleeping pills matched the ones we found in the ketchup on Maddie's plate."

"Wow, you guys were busy while we were sleeping . . . " Sara realized the 'we' in that sentence a little late.

"We?"

"I meant I . . . Thanks Warrick."

"Oh girl, that ain't all . . . the storage container, rented in name Dominick Garmen . . . but paid from with Mr. Ampress' credit card. And that's it. For now."

"It's good enough. We got him"

"Yeah we did good this time. It's not often one of us gets to be the hero."

"Not a hero Warrick . . . just doing a good job."

"Well, whatever you say Sar . . . oh by the way, Ecklie's been looking for you."

Sara groaned. "Tell him I'll be in this afternoon."

"Will do, have a good one Sara . . . oh, and make sure you pass this information along to Grissom will you?"

Sara flushed. "Bye Warrick."

She had just hung up the phone and pulled out of the lot when her phone rang again. "Sidle . . . "

"Hey Sara, it's Brass. Have you talked to Warrick yet?"

"Yep, actually just got off the phone with him."

"So he told you we got the bastard?"

"Yep."

"Did he also tell you about Penelope Ampress?"

"No . . . is she ok?"

"The Fina's lawyer is going to be here at three this afternoon. You should come down. This should be good - oh and Sara? Just to rest your mind, she's fine. For now."

"Ok Brass. I'll see you at three. Right now there's another little girl I promised I would go see."

"Ok. And Sara?" Sara heard the smile in his voice. "Make sure you bring Gil with you . . . "

"What?"

"Well, he told me not to have your car taken to the hospital. Said he'd take you back to get it when you were done at the hospital. But I got there this morning and it was still sitting where you left it. I just figured . . . " he trailed off.

"As far as I know, Jim, he's fast asleep. But I'll make sure to let him know if I see him this morning."

"Sure - ok- bye"

Sara hung up and couldn't help but wonder if maybe everyone was onto them . . . well except them. Did they assume . . . nah. It was just her paranoid personality showing again. Probably.

She pulled into the parking structure of the hospital and shut off her cell phone. That was another thing she was paranoid about, giving someone another heart attack because she had her phone on. She also shut it off before even setting foot in an airport - less she brought down an airplane by messing up their controls. She knew the latter was ridiculous . . . unless she was actually on the plane, her phone was of no danger to them. But even her rational mind wasn't going to risk it.

Locking her car door she grabbed her purse and a ragged old bear off the seat. She shut the door behind her and walked in the hospital where she was directed to room 207.

She knocked before she opened the door. "Come in . . . " Maddie's small voice wafted through the door.

Sara pushed the door open, holding the bear behind her back. "Hi, sweetheart. How are you feeling?"

"Miss Sara! I knew you'd come!"

"I promised didn't I?"

"Well, yeah, but sometimes grownups forget promises . . . 'cause they forget."

"Well honey, sometimes they do, but I'd never forget about you." Sara moved in and sat in the chair next to the bed. The girl looked better now, she'd bathed and her hair was down around her shoulders.

"What're you hiding?"

"I've forgotten how hard it was to hide something from a five-year-old."

"I'm five-and-a-half. Is it for me?"

Sara suddenly felt very silly for the beat up old bear she was holding behind her back. "When my daddy died . . . someone gave this teddy bear to me." She pulled him out. "He's been through a lot with me, but he's taken really good care of my heart." She reached out and tapped Maddie's chest. "And I wanted to give him to you. To take care of your's. And to make sure you're never alone. Ok? The smile that broke out on Maddie's face was all the answer Sara needed.

She handed him over and Maddie hugged him close to her. "Thank you Miss Sara . . . I promise promise promise to take really good care of him."

Sara smiled softly. "I know sweetheart, I know."

Two cartoons and one game of Candyland later, a knock came at the door. When the door opened a woman from Social Services walked in, to collect Maddie.

The little girl cried then. "But I wanna stay with Miss Sara . . . "

Sara tried the best she could to explain that they were going to take her to a nice house with other kids and really nice grownups. But Maddie would have none of it.

Sara silently screamed at herself for getting so attached. It wasn't fair to her or to the little girl. "Honey, you have to go . . . I can't take care of you." _Sometimes can't even take care of me . . . _

Maddie wiped at her cheeks. "Why not?"

Sara's heart broke. How could she explain to a child that her life revolved too much around work? She didn't try. She handed Maddie a slip of paper. "Do you know your numbers?"

"Yes . . . my mommy teached me them."

"Good . . . and do you know how to use a phone?"

"Yes, my mommy teached me that too, so I could talk to her whenever I wanted to."

"Good . . . see these numbers? These are my phone numbers. So you can call me anytime you need me ok?"

"I don't wanna talk to you, Miss Sara! I wanna SEE you!" The child flung herself around Sara's neck.

"I know baby, I know . . . but I'll see you again ok? But for today you need to go with this nice lady . . . she'll take really good care of you."

Maddie looked up at her with a tear streaked face. "Promise you'll come see me again?"

Now Sara wanted to cry. "Promise Promise Promise . . . three times, so it counts."

"And you won't forget?"

"Never."

Maddie looked over at the Social Worker standing silently by the door. "Ok . . . lets go . . . I think I'm ready." She picked up the bear from the bed and wrapped herself around Sara again. "I love you Miss Sara."

Tears threatened to fall now. "I love you too"

The girl patted Sara on one cheek and planted a kiss on the other. "Bye Miss Sara . . . "

"Bye honey . . . " Maddie walked from the room and the Social Worker followed.

Sara stood there for a couple minutes regaining her composure and waiting for them to clear the hallway before she left.

She got to the car, turned her phone on, and checked the time. She had twenty minutes before she was to meet Grissom.

She drove to the diner where they were meeting and sat in her car. Her phone chirped a few minutes later.

'_I'll be there in 5. Missed you this morning. G.'_

Sara smiled - today was a good day. A day to look forward to.

To Be Continued . . .


	18. Chapter 18

Title: Last Chance - Chapter 18

Disclaimer: What do you think? Do you honestly think I own them? Then you're a fool. Cause I don't. Don't sue me.

Authors' note: This chapter is really short. I mean really really . . . It could be longer, it could be better . . . it could be a lot of things. But it's not. It just is. At any rate I hope you like it. And I really hope you review if you do. Once again, I don't have a beta . . . so all mistakes are mine. Thanks for reading!

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Grissom walked into the diner and spotted Sara sitting at a booth. He touched her shoulder as he walked up behind her.

"Hey Griss." She turned her head and smiled up at him.

"Good Morning Sara." He sat down across from her. "What time did you get up?"

"A little after seven. I didn't want to wake you."

"It's ok. I got your note."

Sara flushed a deep red. "Obviously. You're here aren't you?"

Grissom decided she looked good with a blush. "How did you know I was gonna eat an apple?"

Sara chuckled. "Scientific deduction."

"Really, how's that?"

"It was morning . . . people eat in the morning, even you. You're not the kind to go snooping for food, and the apples were in plain sight. I took a stab in the dark that you'd grab one of them . . . "

"Well, your aim was true - and the core is safely in the trash."

That elicited another smile from Sara. "I talked to Brass and Warrick this morning."

"What did they have to say?" The waitress showed up then to take their order.

"Oh, just that we got our bad guy. Confession or no confession. DNA - Fibers - Blood - The works . . . "

"Great!"

"And Brass wants us to sit in on a meeting with the Fina's lawyer at three this afternoon."

"What for?"

"Dunno, Brass was being kind of vague . . . and um, speaking of Jim . . . this might sound paranoid . . . " she smiled sheepishly. "He doesn't know you slept at my house last night does he?"

That made Grissom choke on his water. "What?"

"Well, both he and Warrick said some things this morning. I thought maybe you . . . " she trailed off.

"Sara, as much as I would like to go yell it from the rooftops . . . " Sara blushed again. "It's nobody's business but ours. Besides, when would I have told anyone? It's not like I planned this when I took you home last night."

"Then, uh, it must just be my imagination." She shrugged. "Not that it really matters, you'll only be my boss for another twelve days."

He was wondering when she'd bring that up. "Listen Sara, I can talk to Ecklie . . . get your resignation thrown out. I want you to stay. And not _just_ because the lab needs you, you're one of our best CSI's . . . but because _I_ need you. I finally have you in my life, Sara, and I don't want to lose you."

"Grissom . . . I've told you. I can't do it anymore. It's to hard. Please understand - I need something else. A job that makes me happy, instead of just paying the bills."

Grissom's heart felt like it had stopped. "You're still leaving?"

"I don't know Griss . . . I have to get out of the lab. I know that much. I am quitting." She smiled at him. "Besides, sleeping with your boss is highly unprofessional. But I'm not sure about leaving Vegas. I still have a lot to think about. And there's something I want to look into before I make up my mind."

Their food arrived then and Grissom took a bite. He set down his fork and chewed thoughtfully as Sara pushed hers around her plate. Here he was - making her feel miserable again. He was acting like a child. "Ok Sara . . . I'll support you. No matter what you decide to do. Or where you decide to go." He reached out and took her hand. "Always, Anytime, Anywhere, Any reason . . . " he repeated his words from the night before.

Sara looked up at him with a small smile on her lips. "Thank-you . . . "

"No Sara . . . thank you. For letting me love you."

To Be Continued . . . .


	19. Chapter 19

Title: Last Chance - Chapter 19

Disclaimer: You should know the drill by now. Don't sue me.

Authors' note: This ones a little longer. This is the third chapter I've posted in six hours. So I'm sorry for all the mistakes. I'm going cross-eyed from typing. And I'm distracted by the fact that I'm tired. And no beta means all mistakes are mine. I love all of you for reviewing. It means a lot. Keeps me going, even when my muse is being mean. Which we see a little of in this chapter. :) We're in the ending stretch of this thing now . . . only a few chapters left. I have it finished. I just have to get it typed. R&R! Enjoy!

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Forty minutes and some odd topic conversation later, they left the diner. Promising to meet at the precinct at two thirty, Sara left for the lab.

When she arrived, she ran into Catherine. "Hey Cath, what're you doing here during the day?"

"Oh, finishing the paperwork from the Arson . . . reports . . . you know, all the crap that comes after the fun stuff."

"Ahhh . . . " Sara smiled.

"So, I hear you got lucky last night."

Sara felt heat creeping up her neck. "What?"

"You found your girl, right?"

"Uh . . . yeah . . . sure did." Sara couldn't believe how flustered she was.

Catherine shot her what could only be called a knowing smile. "I hope he makes you happy."

This time Sara decided not to plead innocence. "I think we make each other happy . . . how on earth does everyone know?"

"Sara. The sexual tension between you two was getting so strong . . . when it was finally released the whole world heard it snap."

Again heat crept into Sara's cheeks. "We didn't . . . we just . . . but not . . . sex. We didn't have sex. Now really, how does everyone know?"

"Well I didn't think anyone besides me did . . . well, Warrick maybe . . . and Brass . . . did you know I'm a really bad secret keeper when it comes to love?"

"How." Sara was almost demanding now.

Catherine sighed. "I ran into Brass last night during shift. And he said something about you having a really rough night. So I thought I'd play the friend card and come check on you this morning. When I got to your place this morning . . . Grissom's car was parked in front of your building, there were no lights on. I took that to mean you didn't need my comfort after all . . . " Catherine grinned. "When I saw Warrick this morning, it just popped out of my mouth. Then Jim asked me if you were all right and I told him that Grissom was - uh - taking care of you . . . "

Sara could have crawled into herself and died. Because of the one person in the lab that Sara thought could keep a secret, everyone was going to know. "Try not to tell anyone else Cath. He's still my boss."

"Not for much longer I hear. I have sources that say we're losing you. That's too bad."

Sara just shook her head as she turned to walk away. "This place is a real gossip factory this morning isn't it?"

"It always has been Sara, you've just never been the product they were working on before . . . " Catherine's words were clipped off as the door shut between them.

On her way to Ecklie's office she made a quick stop to 'shush' Warrick. Though he promised up and down that he hadn't told anyone else, and wouldn't until it was official he had one thing to say. "It's about time. I was about to give up on you two."

A pit stop in the ladies room and she had sent a text to Grissom forewarning him.

_Cath knows and Brass and Warrick . . . I'm not paranoid . . . S._

She then put her phone on vibrate just incase he called or texted during her meeting with Ecklie. Ecklie . . . oh God. She really hoped he didn't know. Who would tell him? But the guy had eyes and ears all over this building. But she'd already quit. What could he do? Fire her? She argued with herself all the way down the hall. She cleared her throat as she knocked on Ecklie's office door.

"Come in." His voice was stern.

She opened the door and stepped in. "You were looking for me?"

"Yes, Miss Sidle. Please, have a seat."

_OhGodOhGodOhGod_ her mind was screaming. "Is this going to take long? I have a meeting with Captain Jim Brass soon . . . "

"No, not too long. I just need to discuss your assignments for the next thirteen . . . no twelve . . . days. And I do mean days. I'm moving you to day shift. And I'm putting you on a desk. Having you at a crime scene would only prove to be problematic for the lab. We don't need you on an active investigation when you decide to go running all over the country."

Sara met his eye. "I understand that, but what reason do you have for switching my shift."

"You'll be more useful on days. One of their desk jockeys just went on maternity leave. You'll make a fine filler for a couple weeks."

Sara's heart was pounding. She didn't want to leave her crew. Not yet anyway. She knew she was going to get stuck at a desk, but she figured she'd still be working with her friends.

"I expect you at the start of shift tomorrow."

"Ecklie . . . I . . . "

"I mean it Sidle. This decision was yours. Deal with it."

"Fine. I'll see you tomorrow." She got up and left his office in a huff. "Moron!" she muttered under her breath. She didn't want to work days, she'd been working nights for so long . . . and she knew the schedule . . . which meant she knew that the likelihood of seeing Nicky, Cath, Greg, Warrick, and even possibly Grissom . . . was low. Really low.

It would have been bad enough seeing them as the came and went from the lab . . . just when things were looking up, something had to bite her right on the ass. She was fuming when her phone vibrated against her hip. "What?" She picked up her phone with a little too much attitude.

"Sara? It's me . . . "

"Yes Grissom, I know who you are."

"What's wrong?"

"Ecklie. Idiot moved me to days."

"What? Son of a.."

"At least it's only temporary . . . 12 days and counting. Then I break free from the shithole."

"Sara - he doesn't know too, does he?"

"I don't know Grissom. He didn't say anything, but you know Ecklie . . . "

"Shit."

"Grissom, we didn't _do_ anything. It was a mistake - we were tired and, anyway, it's not like we had sex."

Grissom's voice fell almost to a whisper. "What are you saying Sara?"

"I'm saying that maybe it's a good thing he moved me . . . "

"How can you . . . "

"That way we don't have to see each other."

"You can't mean . . . " Sara heard the desperation in his voice and she felt herself cracking.

"I'm sorry Gil. So sorry. I'm leaving anyway. Maybe it'll be easier this way." Tears were burning her eyes now.

"Sara . . . it will never be easy without you in my life - I need you . . . "

"But you don't. And . . . " This was the hardest part and she wondered what the hell was wrong with her even as the words slipped from her lips. "And I don't need you either." She knew exactly what she was doing and it was ripping her apart. But she was just trying to protect herself, and Grissom . . . from getting hurt.

After her talk with Ecklie she had realized that in order to get that new start she wanted, she was going to have to give up everything. Not just her job. Her friends too. She couldn't wait to leave Vegas . . . it would be easier once she was gone.

Silence assaulted her from Grissom's end of the phone. Then he cleared his throat. "Fine. I'll see you around." His voice was void of any emotion and that was the final straw - Sara's heart broke in two.

"Yeah, Grissom. I'll see you around."

Sara hung up the phone and walked to her car. With angry swipes she brushed her tears away. What the hell was she doing? She had the one thing she wanted. The one thing she thought she'd never have. And here she was - pushing it away and running in the opposite direction. She wanted to stop running. Needed to. She started the car. She had a few things to do before the meeting.

To Be Continued. . . .


	20. Chapter 20

Title: Last Chance - Chapter 20

Disclaimer: As much as I would like to, I don't own them. No infringement intended. Please don't sue me.

Authors' note: I'm soooo sorry for the last chapter! You have no idea. My muse loves Grissom . . . I swear it. He also just really likes to play with his feelings and make the man show emotion. This one's not so much better. But it needed to be done . . . to fit the rest of the story. I've rewritten two versions of the last chapter and this one . . . nothing else fits the same. Forgive me? Anyway, keep reviewing and I hope you like it. Go ahead, flame me if you want to... :(

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Grissom shut his phone and just held it in his hand, staring at it. Sara must have had a really bad hour since he left her. Or something. She'd been so happy over lunch that he was sure they'd be ok. She had even sounded pretty sure that she was staying in Vegas. Now, suddenly, she was leaving again and telling him it was all just a mistake. How could it possibly have been a mistake? Nothing in his life had felt so right.

He wanted to go to her. Talk to her. Figure out what the hell was wrong. Because until he knew what was wrong, he couldn't fix it. And damn if this wasn't one thing he needed to fix. He'd gone from walking on air to the pits of hell, in one four-minute phone call.

He had a meeting to get to with the Fina's lawyer. He was guessing that his presence wasn't mandatory, but he knew Sara would be there. And maybe he'd get a chance to corner her . . . talk to her.

The drive to the precinct was horrible. Him playing out bad scenarios in his head. Images of her leaving.

_Damn her!_ Then he quickly corrected himself. He had no right to be mad. He did have a right to be upset, hurt, downright annoyed - and an entire list of other nonaggressive emotions, but he couldn't be mad. That emotion wouldn't do either of them any good.

He pulled up to the police station a little early, which was good because he wanted to talk with Jim. Entering the building, he stopped at the desk and asked for Brass. He was told he was in his office.

Grissom walked back and knocked heavily on the door.

"Come on in . . . " he opened the door. "Grissom, you're a little early. The lawyer won't be here for a while yet."

"Yeah, I know, I wanted to talk to you about . . . " He shoved his hands into his pockets. "...Sara."

Brass grinned. "Yeah, I heard you guys were - uh- getting along."

Grissom sighed. "No, not so much. Which is what I wanted to talk to you about."

Brass motioned for him to sit. "What's up?"

"I don't know. It was all good Jim . . . And then she had a meeting with Ecklie - now she is telling me it was all is mistake."

Brass looked at him with eyebrows raised. "What was a mistake . . . exactly?"

Grissom rolled his eyes. "We didn't . . . " He waved his hands in the air, " . . . if that's what your asking."

"Well it must have been something . . . "

"It was . . . is . . . good."

"What did you do?"

"Oh, that's just it. I don't think it's anything I did wrong . . . I wish it were . . . then I could fix this." He looked down at his hands. "She's leaving the lab, she's leaving Vegas . . . and I think she has already left me. How can I fail so miserably at a relationship . . . this relationship . . . when it hasn't even really started yet?"

Brass shrugged. "I dunno, buddy. But you're right. I don't think it's you she wants to leave. I think she's trying to leave herself. And whether or not you see it, you've always been a big part of her."

Before Grissom could respond, a knock came at the door. Without waiting for an answer the door opened and a man stuck his head in. "Sorry for interrupting. I'm Jay Proust, Delanea and Andrew Fina's lawyer. I'm looking for Jim Brass . . . "

"You found him . . . " Brass shot a look at Grissom. "Please, come in . . . if you could just have a seat . . . we still seem to be one member short . . . "

"No, you're not. I'm here." Sara breezed into the room. "Sorry I'm late. I had some paperwork to fill out."

Mr. Proust shook her hand. "Quite all right. I, myself, just arrived."

Sara smiled softly at him as she took the seat next to his, reinforcing the idea that he hadn't done anything. She wasn't mad at him, she was mad at the world. Whatever was going on in her head, it wasn't his fault.

"Ok, so, why are we here?" Brass looked expectantly at Proust.

"To discuss Madelaine Fina - as you are all aware, she is an orphan. But quite a rich one. Her father had money invested all over the place. In addition to being the only survivor of her family, she's also the beneficiary for both life insurance policies. In the end, I'd say that little girl is worth around twenty million dollars."

Grissom shook his head. "And why are you telling us this?"

"That's actually not why we're here. Mr. Grissom, if there is somewhere else you'd rather be, yours and Miss Sidle's presences here are not necessary . . . I'm not the one who requested you be here."

Sara leaned forward. "We care about that little girl, Mr. Proust. Please, go on."

"Ok well, all her inheritance is going into an account until the day she turns 18. All of it. She will not have access to it, nor will anyone else, for her own protection."

"Ok . . . and your point?" Grissom didn't much care for lawyers.

"As the Fina's lawyer, and technically Madelaine's as well, I have full access to the money for the next twenty-four hours. Until it is routed into that account. This morning, I had a meeting with my bosses. We agreed unanimously to donate the money, to ensure that the little Ampress girl gets the treatment she needs. One tragedy is enough. The preventable death of a child, is not excusable when you have the resources to help."

In her excitement - or something - Sara grabbed Grissom's hand. "So, she'll be ok?" Proust nodded. "Oh thank God." She then seemed to notice that her hand was still gripping his, and she pulled away like she'd been burned. "And what about Maddie?"

"Her mother, Delanea, was the only child of two people who were also only children. As far as we can tell, she was the last branch of her family tree. Both parents died, in a car crash, when she was nineteen. Her father, Andrew, became the sole heir to their fortune when his mother passed away in 1998. As far as we know, neither one has family to place the child with so . . . "

Sara interrupted. "...she's going into the system."

"Yes, unfortunately."

Grissom cleared his throat. "Is that everything?"

"Yes I believe so."

"Ok then, it was nice to meet you Mr. Proust. You guys are doing a wonderful thing." Grissom stood and shook his hand. Turning to face Sara, "Miss Sidle? Can I have a word with you?" He hoped she heard the pleading in his voice. "In private . . . please?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Why sure Dr. Grissom. I have a few things to do right now and I have to get going, but I can meet you in your office, at the lab, in about four hours."

Grissom nodded at her. He was taken aback that she had agreed. Shocked was actually a better word for what he felt. He walked out of the room as Sara stood, thanking Proust for everything.

He walked from the building to his car in a daze. He drove straight to the lab, once there he headed straight for his office. He shut the door behind him, sat at the desk, and put his head in his hands.

He sat like that for nearly a half hour until a sharp rap on his door made him jump. "It's open."

"Hey Gil, I heard . . . what's wrong?" Catherine was standing in the doorway with a frown on her face.

"I don't want to talk about it Catherine. It's been a long day."

"Well, Sara was sure in a better mood. She was practically radiating happiness this morning."

That hit a raw nerve. "And trust me Cath, so was I. Until she decided it was still as good idea to leave Vegas. Hell, to leave Nevada probably." A painful chuckle escaped "Everyone thought I'd be the one to break her heart. Even I always figured it would happen that way . . . " He ran his fingers through his hair. "But turns out . . . I'm the one who ended up broken."

Catherine came over and sat across from him. "Gil, I can guarantee you one thing. If you're broken - she's broken. I know what I saw in her this morning. And when I asked, she didn't deny it. A girl wouldn't . . . no, couldn't, shut that off in an hour. Most of us can't shut it off in a month . . . a year . . . " She smiled "Trust me, I know."

Grissom put his head back into his hands and his next words were muffled. "That doesn't change anything."

"Gil, look at me." He raised his head just a little. "If it's not you, then it's something else. And you're the one person she'd talk to."

"Thanks Catherine . . . she's coming here . . . to talk . . . I hope. How do I not mess this up?"

She reached over and squeezed his arm. "Just be yourself, and be honest. That's the man she fell in love with. And that's the only man she wants." She got up. "You look pitiful Grissom. I hope she stays - for your sake. You deserve that."

He let out a low laugh. "That's what Sara said last night . . . maybe I deserve this pain too, for all the hurt I caused her . . . "

Catherine interrupted his thought. "No Gil. You don't. And neither does Sara."

"I know Catherine. Thanks again . . . "

As she left the room, he picked up a pile of reports. He might as well do something productive while he waited.

To Be Continued . . .


	21. Chapter 21

Title: Last Chance - Chapter 21

Disclaimer: Ain't mine. Never have been. Never will be. Forgive me for touching, I just wanted a glimpse into what it felt like to play with such perfect characters.

Authors' note: My muse is interpreting Sara's character as a whirlwind of hormones, emotions, and more childhood pain then I can even comprehend. So I apologize for the last few chapters. Only two left, so needless to say, we are getting back on track. Back by popular demand . . . the fluff. I was watching Tyra when I wrote this . . . so random things in this story came from her . . . not from me. I don't watch it a lot . . . but I gotta give credit where credit is due. Please R&R! Enjoy!

* * *

What in the hell was wrong with her? She went from wanting to leave, to needing to stay, back to feeling like if she stayed her life would never get better. It was like she was caught in a yo-yo. And at the end of that yo-yo, probably getting really sick of the motion, was the man she loved. 

What she'd told Grissom the night before had been the truth. She felt like she was being ripped apart. And it wasn't fair. It was self sabotage. She always did this. Sometimes the good was scary.

She hadn't had a good life - and that was partly her fault. For believing that she didn't deserve anything more then she needed. After last night, listening to Grissom tell her that he didn't deserve her . . . God she was being a hypocrite. You couldn't tell someone that they deserved you . . . couldn't tell them that you needed them . . . couldn't all but tell them that your world revolved around them . . . and then just snatch it back again. Couldn't just tell them, 'oh yes you deserve me, but you see, I'm so screwed up that, ahh, I don't deserve you. Therefore, we cannot be together.' It wasn't fair to either of them.

It wasn't Grissom playing the game this time. This time it was her and her twisted outlook on life that was trying to screw with fate. She hung her head. She couldn't leave. Because it wasn't fair to Grissom. Or to herself. She had to take a baby-step in the right direction. Besides, she had too much riding on it this time. There wasn't just her to worry about.

She smiled as the light flooded into her heart. She finally knew what she was going to do. Four months ago she had been offered a position at the University. She'd declined without giving it too much thought, because she was so wrapped up in the lab. She had called them this afternoon, after dinner with Grissom. Because she wanted to stay. The job was still hers if she chose to accept it. She'd spoken with the director and had asked for 24 hours to think it over. She had almost called them back and declined. Now she was glad she hadn't. Faced with a life she truly wanted . . . this job seemed perfect. If only the rest of the things she wanted would fall into place so effortlessly.

Grissom for starters. She frowned as she remembered what she'd said. How she'd said it. She had really hurt him this time. But, if she hurt him, it just proved that he really did care about her. That he really did want her. Flaws and all. If she could just find the words to apologize. It was amazing how hard an 'I'm Sorry' could be when you threw love into the mix.

Love. That was a new one for Sara. Yeah, sure, there had been guys she cared about. Even more she'd been in big time lust with. Even a few that had broken her heart. But she'd never felt a connection like this before. It was physical, emotional, spiritual, academical even. This was a whole new ball game. An 'over the fence, straight for the moon, game winning home-run' kind of ball game. And she couldn't wait to start rounding the bases.

All it would take was one 'I'm staying.', one 'I'm sorry', one 'Forgive me', and one very heartfelt 'I love you'. The words were so easy to think about. So easy to say when he wasn't there.

Right there and then Sara picked up the phone. Before she changed her mind again, she had placed the call officially accepting the job. She just had to sign the papers now. Almost immediately after hanging up the phone she started panicking as she realized what she'd done. Committed herself to Vegas.

She argued with herself. This is what she wanted. She'd tossed around the idea of teaching when she was still in college, but she'd imagined teaching kids. Not college students. But the position was just some teaching. A little of this, a little of that. Not only would she be earning more money at the college, but it would get her out of the lab. It would give her a chance at a real future, the kind that lasted forever, not the kind you could see an end to three or four years down the road.

She had over an hour before she was to meet Grissom and her toes were already tapping. She just wanted to get this over with now that she'd made up her mind. Finally she just felt too overwhelmed with waiting and picked up the phone.

He answered his phone on the first ring. "Grissom."

"Can I come now?"

He didn't say anything for six beats of her heart. "Sure."

She hung up the phone without saying anything else. Five minutes later she was in her car, and sooner then was possible, had she been obeying the traffic laws, she was knocking on his door.

"It's open." He was sitting at his desk thumbing through a stack of case files. He didn't look up as she walked in. As she closed the door behind her and thumbed the lock, he spoke. "Hi."

He was looking at her over the rim of his glasses. A look that usually meant that he was either annoyed or confused. Not that she could blame him for being either. She moved to sit down. "Grissom . . . I . . . " God. How hard could words actually be to say?

He reached into the frontdrawer of his deskand pulled out the note she'd left him this morning. It seemed like a lifetime ago to her. "Sara. When you weren't there when I woke up this morning my first thought was that you'd regretted my being there. Then I found this." He held it up. "And it took me a good five minutes to read it. I was so apprehensive because I didn't want to know what it said. I was so afraid that you were asking me to leave. To forget. That you'd changed your mind. Decided that I didn't deserve you. I was so scared when I finally opened it. Terrified. But reading it, you'll never know the relief I felt. It was . . . just . . . hope."

"I'm sorry . . . "

"Sorry for what, Sara? That you gave in for one night? That I did?"

"No, never. I'm sorry for playing a game that I told you I couldn't play any more."

"This isn't a game any more Sara. We've both gone too far and said too much for us to just be playing pretend."

"Which is why I'm here."

He took off his glasses and met her eyes. "Sara, what's wrong?"

She smiled sadly. "I never said anything was wrong."

He returned her smile, just as sad, then looked down at his desk. "Sometimes, you don't have to."

Sara's stomach tied itself into a knot. This was the hard part. The explanation. She herself didn't really know why she kept doing this. She thought that maybe, just maybe, if she could make it make sense . . . just a little, he would understand.

She took a deep breath. "I knew this was going to be hard. All of this. But until I got here, saw you . . . I didn't realize how hard. Because looking at you - I believe I know how you feel." She stopped. "Gil, look at me."

He raised his head. "Then how do I feel Sara?"

The way he was looking at her almost made her rethink her decision to take this road in the discussion. She couldn't stand the pain in his eyes and she looked away. She felt her own eyes burning with tears she would not cry. "Broken."

She caught the emotions in his exhale of breath. "I hide my feelings from you that badly huh?"

"It's just that . . . that . . . "

"That what?"

"That I feel it too."

He got up from his chair and walked around the desk. "Then . . . why?"

"Because it was too good."

Now he sat it the chair next to hers. "What?"

"All my life, I've never gotten anything I wanted. Oh yeah, everything I needed . . . but nothing was handed to me on a silver platter. I settled for second best on a lot of things. Because I didn't think I deserved better. And then . . . then I met you. And you became one more thing that I wanted but would never have. And I got comfortable with that." She stopped and drew a deep breath, and looked him in the eye. "And then yesterday . . . it was like winning the lottery, a car, and a trip to Tahiti all in one day." That made him smile. "I lost my comfort zone. The thing I was used to and my sabotagical brain . . . took what was so good, and torched it - twisted it, bent it, until it - hurt. And I started to panic. And then you were on the phone - and I overreacted. My head said some things before my heart got a say. And as soon as it got caught up, it regretted every word. Because I want to stay. With you. Where I belong. Because I do need you. Always. All the time. Everywhere I am. And I don't need a reason."

She hadn't noticed when he'd taken her hand, and when he pulled her to her feet, and to him, she smiled. Everything wasn't perfect. But it didn't have to be. It nice, normal, ordinary . . . wonderful.

He wrapped his arms around her, enveloping her in a hug. She put her face in his neck and wrapped her arms around him too. His hand was on the back of her head smoothing her hair. "I love you Sara."

She swallowed the sob that threatened to escape and held him tighter. "I love you too."

They could have stayed in that position, locked in each other's embrace, his fingers tracing a lazy circle on her back, for eternity. But a sharp rap came at the door. Sara took a quick step back but Grissom just smiled and tucked her hair behind her ears.

He walked over and opened the door. "Come in . . . "

Catherine walked in. "Did you know your door's locked? It's never locked . . . I was getting worried . . . " She stopped when she saw Sara. "Oh - I'm interrupting." She looked at Grissom. "I knew you said she was coming . . . I'm sorry. I'll go."

"It's ok, Catherine." Sara spoke up. "We're ok."

"Well, I figured that much. Neither of you has been crying, your heads don't look like they are going to explode from screaming, and the door hasn't been slammed off its hinges . . . "

Grissom shot her a look. "What did you need Catherine?"

"Just wanted your opinion on my evidence . . . "

Sara took that as her cue to leave. She touched Grissom's arm. "I should get going - I've got a few things to do. Including begging for a renewal on my lease. Which I already told my landlord, I didn't need . . . "

She loved the smile that broke out on his face, and much to her surprise, and delight, he kissed her right there. Full on the lips, too short to be sexual, to long to be anything but romantic. With the door standing open, people walking by. Catherine, standing two feet away, pretending to admire her own shoes.

Then he leaned over and whispered in her ear. "Dinner. My place. 8 o'clock. Don't be late."

She smiled, nodded and blushed. Again, her face was going to be permanently red soon.

As she walked out the door, she heard Catherine poking fun at Grissom before finally getting to the point.

Warrick was standing a little way down the hall and shot her a thumbs-up as she passed him. Again she flushed red.

She hurried from the building because she really did have things to do. A lease to resign and a job to formally accept.

Maybe not for the first time in her life, but it was definitely one of very few occurances, Sara Sidle felt like she was walking - no, floating, on cloud nine.

To Be Continued . . . one more time.


	22. Chapter 22

Title: Last Chance - Chapter 22 - The End

Disclaimer: I have fully come to terms with the fact that they are not mine. Have you? Then don't sue me. Ok then, with that settled . . . on with the show.

Authors' note: This was one of the hardest chapters to write. I'm not sure if it's because it's the last, or because I knew how I wanted it to end, and just couldn't get it right. I wrote at least four different versions before settling on this one, which is why it took so long to get it posted. What matters is that I am finally happy with it. I made one monumental change to chapter 21 since I posted it. It was only like five words . . . but it made a difference in how this chapter played out. It's horrendously OOC . . . especially the table talk . . . But I sincerely hope you like it. Please read and review! Even if you didn't like it. :)

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Grissom was putting the finishing touches on supper when he heard a knock at the door. His watch read eight on the nose. Sara - always prompt but never early. 

Wiping his hands on a dishtowel, he went to the door. Opening it, he found her standing there with an almost sheepish smile on her face. "Come in." He held the door open wide. He took her jacket and slung it over the back of a chair, next to his own.

"Wow Grissom, your place hasn't changed at all since the last time I was here."

"Is that a good thing?"

She looked around and smiled. "Yup. Because it's so . . . you."

That made him feel a little better about his home. After the thoughts he'd had this morning, he'd had the irrational urge to hire an interior decorator. "Dinner will be ready in a few minutes." And like she had done to him the night before, "Make yourself at home, I'll be right back."

He didn't have anything to do. He just wanted to watch her in his environment. He was - studying her. Because she fascinated him. She didn't hover by the door, like he had done, but went directly for his living room. She was walking around looking, and when she started touching things, he realized that had it been anyone else he would be in there right now, demanding, politely of course, that they keep their hands off his things - they were private. But with Sara . . he wanted her to touch. He wanted her to know things about him. Hell, he wanted her to know everything about him. And he wanted to know everything about her. And God willing, there would be plenty of time for that later.

She was standing infront of a bookcase running her fingers over the spines of the books, and as she pulled one, an old edition of Shakespeare's love sonnets, he walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. Resting his chin on her shoulder, he whispered in her ear. "Supper's ready."

She put her hands over his own and rested her head against him. "Good. 'Cause I'm famished."

He released her and directed her to the kitchen. A few minutes later they were seated at the table with dinner infront of them.

"Jeez Griss, you've been holding out." Sara took the first bite. "It's absolutely delicious. I never figured bugman as much of a cook."

"It is amazing how well ants taste when you season them correctly."

She stopped chewing and looked at him intently.

"I'm kidding, Sara. No bugs were harmed in the making of this meal."

She finished chewing and swallowed. "Ha. You're funny." She rolled her eyes at him, sarcasm dripping from her words.

At her eye-roll he couldn't help but laugh outloud. "I'm sorry I'm such a bad comedian . . . " he was still laughing. "But you shoulda seen your face."

That made her break out in a smile. "Well, you never know with you . . . "

He cleared his throat and took another bite. "So uh, how was your day?"

"About what one would expect when begging for a renewal on their lease. I got it though." She started fidgeting like there was something else she wanted to tell him.

"And . . . ?" His eyes found hers and there was happiness in them.

"I accepted a job, at the University, I went down and signed the paperwork and everything."

A signed lease was one thing, but a job was a whole other. "So your really staying then?" Relief flooded his body when she nodded.

"I start the Monday after I'm done at the lab"

They ate in silence for a few minutes. "Thank you Sara."

"For what?"

"For staying . . . for not leaving . . . for waiting."

She smiled at him. "No, thank you. For giving me a reason to stay. For giving me a pretty good reason to wait."

"I'm sorry I took so long . . . I wasted so much time . . . "

"I know. Me too."

He took another bite. "On a lighter note, I was thinking about moving."

Sara looked at him like he had two heads. "You're kidding. After all this . . . "

"I said lighter note, Sara." Grissom interrupted. "I was thinking of buying a house. In Las Vegas. People can move and still have the same zip code you know."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "What brought this on all of a sudden?"

"I've been thinking about it for awhile now. With the money I've spent renting all these years I could have bought a house by now."

"Well, yeah, but really . . . ?"

"If the last two days have taught me anything, it would be that everyone needs a home. Even me. And after being in your apartment, " he motioned around, "this place feels just as sterile as the lab. It's never been a home. Just a place to sleep."

Sara looked at him with a smile on her lips. "This doesn't have anything to do with me does it?"

"Honey, it has everything to do with you. And at the same time, it has nothing to do with you. It was you that made me realize I needed to set down real roots. An apartment is a temporary place, whether one chooses to believe that about their own, or not. Whether it be two months you live there, or 10 years . . . you come, you live for awhile, and you're gone. Nobody stays in the same apartment forever. And when you're gone, it gets cleaned, someone else moves in, and it's like you never existed there at all."

"Grissom, you're making me jealous!"

"Of what?"

"You're getting a new house . . . all I got was a job." She put on a pouting face.

Grissom laughed again. "Ok well, how about this? You can come house hunting with me. I mean really. You'll have to like it too. I'm hoping you'll be spending a lot of time there with me."

"Oh, of course."

"Good."

Silence followed as they both ate. Grissom noted that she was grinning like a Cheshire cat between bites. "You're grinning like a fool. Wanna catch me up?"

"It just suddenly struck me full force. We're really doing this aren't we?"

He looked at her amused. "Doing what?"

"Dating. I'm mean, I'm not actually just asleep at the lab, having a wild hallucination from some chemical - am I?"

"Well, if you are, then I'm having the exact same one. Which is possible," he grinned at her "but highly unlikely."

"Good."

Sara took the last bite off her plate. "So now what?"

"Now what?"

"Yeah, I came, we ate, we talked, we laughed, we agreed I wasn't asleep . . . the nights still young Grissom. Now what?"

He stood and picked up his plate. "Now - we clear the table and do the dishes."

Sara clapped her hands like an overexcited child. "Ooooh, that sounds romantic!"

Grissom couldn't contain himself and laughed outloud for the third time that night. "Honey, with you, everything is romantic."

Sara wrinkled her nose. "Even scrubbing the toilet?"

"Especially scrubbing the toilet. Infact, with you, scrubbing the toilet could become my favorite thing to do."

Sara's laughter filled the kitchen and his heart. He walked around the table and kissed her as he grabbed her plate. She took hold of his head with both hands and pulled him back for another. Both of his hands were full of dishes, and he was powerless. When she finally released him, her eyes were twinkling with mischief and her lips were just a little swollen.

"If you help me Sara, we could get this done a lot faster." She stood and grabbed what she could carry.

While they were clearing the table, Sara stopped and looked at him. "This - this is nice."

He set the plates in the sink. "What is?"

She waved her hand. "All this, the sheer domestication in it. Doing normal things. With you. All of it."

"Yeah, it is."

As the were finishing the dishes, Sara grew steadily quieter. As he put the last glass in the cupboard, she turned to him. "I want to show you something." Her voice was solemn and her voice held none of its earlier passion.

Grissom almost sighed outloud. Apparently doing the dishes had been a bad idea. "What is it?"

She walked into the hall and reached into her coat pocket. She slowly withdrew a folded pile of papers. As he accepted it from her, he noted the pained expression on her face. "Again Sara, what is it?"

"It's my application to gain custody of Madelaine Fina."

His eyes darted down to the paper in his hands. Unfolding it, he saw that she was serious.

"Sara - I . . . "

"I went down there today, after our talk in your office. I had every intention of turning it in." She grew quiet again and started chewing a thumbnail.

"What changed your mind?"

"Fate intervened."

"Huh?"

"They found someone to take her. A close friend of her mothers. In the will, she was stated to be her legal guardian. She's not going into foster care. She's going to a place she knows as well as she knows her own home. With people she loves. People who love her. She'll never want for anything Grissom. She'll be ok."

When he spoke, his voice was almost a whisper. "That's supposed to be a good thing Sara."

She walked past him, into the living room, and sat heavily on the couch. When he followed and sat down beside her, she wrapped herself to him, her legs curled up beside her and her head resting on her chest. "It is a good thing. It's a wonderful thing."

He wrapped his arms around her. "Then, honey, why are you so sad?"

"Because I'm really going to miss her. The family lives in New York."

"I'm sorry Sara."

"I shouldn't be sad . . . but I am." She exhaled against him. "I think for a little while there, my head thought I was ready to be a parent. But again, my heart knows better. I thought I just wanted to give her what was taken from me. A happy childhood. But - even now that I know she'll get that. I think I still want her."

Grissom's heart broke for her. "Sara . . . " Words were strange - the way they kept eluding him when there was something he should be saying.

"I think I want her for a very selfish reason. To fill a void. A void I created a long time ago when I decided not to have kids. A void I very successfully covered up with my career. Because I didn't want to put them through what I went through. And until I held that little girl... with my career basically over... I was fine with it. I was awkward around kids. Uncomfortable. I - I don't know. It was always just something I didn't feel I needed. Or wanted. And then Maddie . . she's so innocent, so pure, so accepting... even after all she went through. And for the first time in my life... I felt that void. And there she was. She didn't know me, but she trusted me. She was so happy to see me. And then that void wasn't just a void anymore. It was an ache. An ache I've heard other people talking about, but could never really understand. I understand it now."

She got quiet again and Grissom still couldn't figure out what to say. This wasn't something he ever gave a lot of thought to. He always thought his life was basically complete. Honestly, he'd never thought he was missing anything by not having kids. Then again, until he met Sara, he had thought his life was pretty complete without her too. Now just the thought of living without her, pained him. Sometimes you didn't know what you needed until you had it. "It's not to late Sara."

"For what? Maddie will be in New York by this time tomorrow." She sighed. "They wouldn't have let me have her anyway."

"Why not?" It felt like she was burrowing herself into him.

"Even if they had accepted the paper version of me, I'd still have to pass the real life version."

"Well, that wouldn't have been a problem. Who could have possibly been a better candidate?"

Sara laughed against him. "Someone _stable!_ Someone with a house, and a husband. Someone who hasn't spent the last six years of her life being corrupted by all the horrible, malicious, _evil_ things people do to each other." She stopped and sighed softly. "Someone whose mother didn't kill her father."

Grissom held her tighter. "That's your past Sara. The woman I know - the woman they'd judge, is wonderful. Someone who has had the same residence for six years. Someone who worked such a terrible job, until she just couldn't do it anymore, because she wanted to help... needed to. Someone who overcame all the odds of being a foster child and succeeded in everything she tried to do." He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and dropped his voice down to almost a whisper. "They would have seen the woman who held that little girl. And to whom that little girl clung to right back. They'd have seen the good in you... the truth of you." He smiled into her hair. "And if they hadn't... by god, I would have shown it to them."

Sara tilted her head to look up at him. "Thank you."

"I'm just being honest." He touched his finger to her nose. "Now, backtracking just a little here - but what I meant was, it's not too late to have your own."

"Baby?"

"No, Monkey." He smiled at her.

"Funny." She put her head back on his chest.

"I'm serious."

"Most women preferred to be married before they have a baby."

"Really."

"Yes, preferably to a good man. With a stable income, and lots and lots of patience. Not to mention - Love."

"Then... marry me." The statement came out sounding so simple, but his heart was racing. For almost an entire minute she didn't move. Orspeak for that matter. "Sara . . . "

She turned her body to face him. "Are you serious?"

"Well, you told me yesterday that I was a good man. My income is so stable you could build a city on it. And really, who could have more patience then a man who studies insects? And I know for a fact that nobody will ever love you as much as I do."

"So we should just get married? Don't you think that's a little sudden?"

"Six years. I don't call that sudden."

Sara laughed outloud. "Maybe you're right."

"Of course I'm right. Marry me."

She kissed him. "You're right."

"I know I'm right."

She kissed him again. "So do I."

"Soooo . . . "

"So lets get married."

"When?"

"Now."

He laughed. "I can think of a few people that would be pretty upset if we didn't invite them."

"Let's call them."

"Catherine would be pretty upset if we didn't give her time to by a new outfit."

Sara ran her fingers threw the curls above his ears. "Ok. So not now - but soon." She leaned down and kissed him again.

"Very very soon."

When she pulled back there was love, need, and desire dancing in her eyes like a flame. "I love you. I need you . . . " she pressed her forehead to his. "I want you."

He leaned in and captured the last words from her lips. He slipped his hands under her shirt, feeling the warm, soft skin she kept hidden there. With his hands he felt the racing of her own heart. "God Sara..." She was planting kisses over his face. Whisper soft across his eyelids, over his cheeks, and at the corners of his mouth. She lit a path down his neck as she dropped kisses from his mouth to his Adam's apple, then up until he could feel her breath on his ear. He turned his head and captured her lips with his again.

His hands were treading dangerous territory as they alternately traveled to, but never crossed, the borders at the top of her jeans and the bottom of her bra. Making out had never been this much fun - or this intense. Everywhere she touched turned to fire, burning for her to touch there again. Her fingers moving in sporadic patterns. In his hair, down his neck, over his back, across his face, and underneath the collar of his shirt; briefly tickling a spot just above his shoulder blade.

He caught her mouth with his again and gently bit her lower lip. A soft sound escaped her throat. "God Sara - I love you." He murmured against her lips.

She pulled away with fire in her eyes and a grin on her lips. When she spoke, lust made her tone was different. "Prove it."

He smiled and touched her face. "I will love you forever."

She kissed him. "Prove it."

She took a breath to say something else, but he caught the words before they could form on her lips. Breaking the kiss, he stood up, grabbing her hand and bringing her up with him. Flipping off the lights, he led her to his bedroom. Unlike last night, he had no intention of sleeping. Not for awhile anyway. He was wideawake now, body, mind, and soul. And judging from the rapid pulse he felt at her wrist, so was Sara.

Taking in everything like only a scientist can, Grissom spent a good portion of the rest of the night exploring everything that was Sara Sidle. From the way she looked, felt, tasted, smelled, and finally sounded. Like an experiment, hetouched her everywhere, kissed her everywhere else, and mentally cataloged what places made her gasp, which made her moan, and his personal favorite, which made her whimper. And when finally they were one, and his name was on her lips, Grissom knew nothing short of forever would do. This was destiny.

When she fell asleep clinging to him, he was at peace. As his own heartbeat returned to normal and he breathing grew steady, he looked at the woman that he loved. She was his. No, that was wrong. He was hers. Forever.

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The End! 

Final Authors's Note: By far the longest chapter. When I started writing this, I planned on a two or three chapter fluff. But it developed a mind, and personality, of its own. And honestly, it didn't want to come to an end. This chapter was so hard to write, because I had to say good-bye to this story. I really hope I didn't disappoint anyone. I was thinking of writing a fluffy 'sequel' to this, and my muse is diggin' that idea... but I gotta know if you want me to or not. Please please please leave a review and let me know what you thought!


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